DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 

Treasure %oom 


GIFT  OF 

American 


Antiquarian  Society 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2011  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/essayonnaturegloOObell 


ESSAY 

ON    THE 

NATURE    AND    GLORY 

OF    THE 

Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift : 

AS    ALSO    ON    THE 

Nature  and  Confequences  of  Spiritual  Blindnefs,  and 

the  Nature  and  Effects  of  Divine  Illumination. 

Defigned  as  a  Supplement  to  the  Author's 

LETTERS  AND  DIALOGUES, 

ON  THE  NATURE  OF 

Love  to  God,  Faith  in  Jefus  Chrift,  and  afiurance  of  a 
Title   to   Eternal   Life. 


By  JOSEPH  BELLAMY,   A.  M. 

~  Bet 


Mtnifiet-fffitfo  Gpfpel  at  Beth/em,  in  New-England. 


u  We  all  with  open  Face,  beholding  as  in  a  glafs  the  glory 

"  cf  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  fame  image. 
«  But  if  our  Gofpel  is  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  ere  left. 

SAINT    PAUL. 


WASHINGTON  : 

PRINTED  AND  SOLD  BY  JOHN  COLERICK, 
AT  OFFICE  OF  THE  TELEGRAPHE. 


1798. 


Sch.  R. 

THE 

PREFACE. 


HpHERE  are,  perhaps,  few,  if  any,  among  the  vari- 
•*■  ous  fects  and  parties  of  profeiling  Chriftians,  but 
that  will  readily  give  their  affent  to  this  propofition  ; 
a  He  who  underftands  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift 
aright,  fees  it  in  its  glory,  believes  it  to  be  true  with 
all  his  heart,  and  is  affected  and  ac"ls  accordingly,  is  a 
true  Chriftian,  and  will  finally  inherit  eternal  life." — 
But  put  the  queftion  What  is  the  Gofpel  of  Chrift  f  And 
let  each  one  for  himfelf,  learned  and  unlearned,  through- 
out Chriftendom,  prepare  and  give  in  an  nnfwcr,  and  it 
will  be  found  th^t  there  is  a  great  Variety  of  opinions.. 
And  that  the  differ  as  much  as  the  unicrrr.cd. 

And  that  the  feemingly  devout  and  rciipjous  differ  as 
much  as  ih3  more  loofe  and  profane.  The  more  any 
man  acquaints  himfelf  with  the  ftate  of  the  Chriftian 
world,  at  home  and  abroad,  the  more  he  convei  fes  with 
men  and  books,  the  more  clearly  will  he  difcern  this  to 
be  the  true  ftate  of  the  cafe.— And  now,  what  Jhall  be 
done  f 

To  fay,  in  this  cafe,  "  That  notwithstanding  circum- 
ftantia!  differences,  the  body  of  profeffing  Chriftians 
agree  in  the  main ;  and  we  mud  not  be  fo  exact,  metaphy- 
seal and  nice  ;"  is  the  fame  as  to  fay,  uLet  your  ideas  be 
fo  general,  confufed  and  indeterminate,  about  matters  of 
religion,  as  that  you  may  not  diftinctly  difcern  the  dif- 
ferences which  do  in  fact  take  place  :  And  bej  C)  very 
unconcerned  about  your  eternal  intereft,  as  not  to  think 

it  worth  your  while  to   look  things  to  the  bottom 

Go  on  eafy  in  this  way,  and  cry  out  againft  and  condemn 

2 7  A  6  7  n 


"■  THE   PREFACE 

ail  exact,  thinking  and  clear  reafoning  in  matters  of"  re- 
ligion, as  metaphyficks  ;  an  hcuspocus  word,  to  blacken 
an  enquiring  difpofuion,  and  to  juftify  an  aftoniifting 
inattention,  in  a  "  matter  of  infinite,  of  everlafting 
concern." — And  this,  while  all  men  of  fenfe  agree  to 
commend,  the  moft  exacl:  thinking  and  clear  reafoning, 
on  any  other  fubjeft,  but  that  of  religion. 

To  fay,  "  it  is  no  matter  what  men's  principles  be, 
if  their  lives  are  but  good  ;"  is  the  fame  as  to  fay,  "  Pa- 
ganifm  and  Mahometan!  fm  are  as  fafe  ways  to  Heaven, 
as  Chriftianity," — which  is  down-right  Infidelity. 

To  fay,  "  Good  men  may  differ. — There  are  more 
ways  to  Heaven  than  one,  all  equally  fafe.  'Tis  need- 
lefs  to  be  at  pains  to  look  things  to  the  bottom:"  Is 
much  the  fame  as  to  fay,  "  Let  every  one  fincerely  live 
up  to  his  own  fcheme,  and  he  will  be  fafe."  Which 
again  will  land  one  on  the  mores  of  Infidelity. 

When  our  blofiVJ  Saviour  lent  his  Apoftles  abroad 
i-nt»  the  world,  it  was  with  this  commiffion  ;  Go  preach 
the  Go/pel  to  every  creature,  and  he  that  belieuetb  (the 
very  Gofpel  i  fend  you  to  preach)  and  is  baptized-  /hall 
bi'  faved  :  But  he  that  belicveth  not  (the  very  Gofpel  I 
fend  you  to  preach)  ftallbe  damned. —  And  according  to 
this  commifiion,  they  went  and  preached,  and  gathered 
Churches,  and  then  faid,  not  from  an  uncharitable  dif- 
pofttion,  but  rnerelv  viewing  things  in  the  light  of  their 
Mailer's  words  ;  We  know  that  vje  are  of  God,  and  the 
whole  world  lie ih  in  wicfodnefs.—\nd  when  falfe  teach- 
ers arofe,  and  endeavoured  to  accommodate  the  Gofpel 
fcheme  a  little  better  to  the  tafte,  the  natural  tafte  of 
Mankind  ;  the  very  Chief  of  the  Apoftles,  as  it  were, 
ftepped  forth  into  the  view  of  the  whole  Chriftian  world, 
and  with  an  aflurance  and  folcmnity,  becoming  one  in- 
fnired  by  Heaven,  faid,  but  though  we  or  an  Angel  /rem 
Heaven  preach  any  other  Gcfpel  unto  you,  than  that  which 
we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accurfecL  Js  we 
faid  before,  fo  fay  I  now  again,  if  any  Man  preach  any 
other  Gofpel  unto  you,  than  that  ye  have  received^  let  him 
he  accurfecL  Gal.  8,  9.  "  But  what  {hall  I  do  ?"  Says 
a  poor,  ignorant,  benighted  foul,  anxious  for  his  eternal 
welfare.     "  Were  all   learned,   religious  fort  of  men 


THE  PREFACE.  Ill 

agreed,  I  mould  think,  I  might  Fafely  believe  as  they 
believe.  But  now  I  am  perfectly  difconcerted  and  con- 
founded. And  is  it  likely  fuch  a  poor,  ignorant  crea- 
ture as  I  am,  fhould  ever  find  the  truth,  and  fee  to  the 
bottom  of  thefc  controverfies,  fo  as  to  know  what  is 
right,  and  what  is  wrong  ?    What  mall  I  do  ?" 

Were  the  differences  fubfiuMng  iii  theChrift ian  world 
really  owing  to  any  obfcurity  in  Divine  Revelation  it- 
felf,  I  do  not  fee  how  poor,  ignorant  people  could  be  to 
blame  In  being  thus  at  a  lofs.  Or  indeed  if*  after  all 
they  mould  happen  to  believe  wrong,  to  mi  flake  fome 
falfe  Gofpel  for  the  true  one,  I  do  not  fee  how  they 
could  be  to  blame,  much  lefs  fo  much,  fo  very  much  to 
blame,  as  to  merit  eternal  damnation.  When  therefore 
our  blefTed  Saviour  fo  peremptorily  declares,  He  that 
believeth  not  JJiall  be  damned,  let  him  be  who  he  will, 
among  all  Mankind,  who  fhall  hear  the  Gofpel,  it  is  a 
complete  demonftration,  that  in  the  judgment  of  our 
blefled  Saviour,  the  Gofpel  Revelation  is  quite  plain 
enough,  upon  a  level  even  with  vulgar  capacities  \  fo 
that  it  cannot  be  mifunderilood  or  mifbelieved,  by  any 
individual,  unlefs  the  fault  is  in  himfelf.  Yea,  unlefs 
he  is  fo  greatly  to  blame  in  the  affair,  as  juftly  to  merit 
eternal  damnation.  To  fay  otherwife,  is  to  charge  our 
Saviour  with  injuftice,  in  denouncing  eternal  damna- 
tion againft  every  Unbeliever.  Which,  again,  is  no 
better  than  down-right  Infidelity. 

"  But  how  can  thefe  things  be  ?"  May  an  inquifi- 
tive  reader  fay.  "  For  if  the  true  Gofpel  of  Chrifl  were 
fo  clearly  revealed  in  the  Sacred  Writings,  how  unac- 
countable is  it,  that  the  Chriftian  world  fo  greatly  dif- 
fer?"' Not  unaccountable  at  all,  only  granting  what 
muft  be  granted,  or  Chriftianity  be  given  up,  that  the 
true  Gofpel  of  Chrift,  contains  a  fyftem  of  fentiments, 
diametrically  oppofite  to  every  vicious  bias  in  the  hu- 
man heart.  Such  a  fyftem  it  contains,  or  it  did  not 
come  from  God.  And  if  it  does  contain  fuch  a  fyftem, 
then  fo  long  as  the  generality  of  Mankind  are  under  the 
influence  of  their  vicious  biafTes,  they  will  naturally  feek 
darknefs  rather  than  light  ;    felf-juftifying  error,  rather 

274&.?7 


2V  THE  PREFACE. 

than  fejf- condemning  truth  ;  and  it  is  well  known  how 
apt  men  are  to  believe  that  to  be  true,  which  they  wifh 
to  have  fo  in  other  matters,  befides  that  of  Religion. — 
Befides, 

Tell  me,  whence  was  it,  that,  in  the  Apoftolic  age  ; 
whence  was  it,  that,  in  the  very  days  of  Miracles  and 
Infpiration,  profefled  Chriftians  began  to  differ?  Was  it 
becaufe  the  Sacred  Writings  were  obfcure  ?  Why  then 
did  they  not  enquire  at  the  mouths  of  the  Apoftles, 
who  were  yet  alive,  and  who  all  agreed  among  them- 
felves  ?  Nay,  enquire  at  the  Apoftles  mouths— indeed 
no.  They  would  rather  call  their  infpiration  into  ques- 
tion, than  fubmit  to  their  decifion.  Saint  Paul  found 
himfelf  fo  vigorously  oppofed  by  falfe  teachers  among 
the  Galatians,  that  with  all  his  Miracles,  Infpirations, 
and  elaborate  reafonings,  he  could  not  keep  up  the  cre- 
dit of  his  fcheme,  no,  not  even  among  his  own  converts, 
wlio  once  were  ready  to  pluck  out  their  eyes  for  him  ; 
■  rather,  in  endeavouring  to  keep  the  truth  up,  his  own 
credit  funk  by  the  means.  Gal.  iv.  16.  And  a  little 
before?  his  death,  after  full  experience  of  the  nature 
of  error  and  deiufron,  he  plainly  tells  his  fon  Timothy, 
that  the  cafe  with  Come  was  really  hopelefs  ;  faying,  Evil 
men  and feduccrs  Jhall  wax  worfe  and  worfe,  deceiving 
and  being  deceived.  2  Tim.  iii.  13.  And  while  the 
Apoftles  were,  fome  of  them  yet  living,  numbers  of 
their  converts  actually  feparated  from  their  Churches, 
numbers  of  their  gracelefs  converts,  I  mean.  1  Joh.  ii. 
19.  They  went  cut  f rem  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  :  fc>r 
if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
with  us. 

Now  it  cannot  be  pretended  there  was  any  want  of 
external  light  and  evidence,  needful  to  difcern  and  acer- 
tain  the  truth,  in  that  age  ;  and  neverthelefs,  matters 
began  to  work  then  very  much  as  they  have  all  along 
fince.  It  is  not  therefore,  through  want  of  light  and 
evidence  externally  held  forth,  that  men  have  gone  into 
error,  in  one  age  and  another,  who  have  had  the  i3ible 
in  their  hands  j  but  it  has  been  entirely  owing  to  the 
vicious  {late  of  their  minds.  And  therefore  Saint  Paul 
reckons  herefies  among  the  works  of  the  Elejh,  and  gives 


THE  PREFACE.  V 

them  a  place  along  with  Adultery,  Fornication,  Witch- 
craft, Murder,  Drunkennefs,  &c.  as  being  criminal  in  the 
fame  fenfe  with  them.  Gal.  v.  19,  20,  21. 

And  indeed  the  Turn  and  fubftance  of  the  Gofpel  may 
be  reduced  to  two  or  three  points,  which  muft  be  in  a 
manner  felf-evident  to  a  mind  rightly  difpofed  ;  or  to 
ufe  our  Saviour's  words  to  thofe  who  have  a  good  and 
hone/i  heart.  For  as  all  Chriftians  were  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghcft ; 
fo  right  apprehensions  of  the  character  and  offices  of 
thefe  three,  is  the  fum  of  all  Chriftian  knowledge  : — 
For  he  who  believes  God  the  Father,  the  fupreme  Go- 
vernor of  the  world,  to  be  by  nature  God,  an  abfolutely 
perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  infi- 
nitely worthy  of  that  fupreme  love  and  honour,  and 
univerfal  obedience,  which  the  Divine  Law  requires  at 
our  hands,  and  that  confequently  his  law  is  holy,  juft 
and  good  :  And  he  who  believes  that  God  the  Son, 
the  exprefs  image  of  the  Father,  became  incarnate,  and 
died  to  do  honodr  to  the  Divine  Law;  was  fet  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation  to  declare  his  Father's  righteoufnefs, 
that  he  might  be  juft,  and  yet  the  juftifier  of  the  believer  : 
And  he  who  believes  that  God  the  Holy  Ghoft,  is  ap- 
pointed to  be  an  Enlightener  and  Sanctifier,  to  bring 
Sinners  to  underftand  the  truth,  fee  it  in  its  glory,  be- 
lieve, love  and  obey  it :  He  who  understands  and  believes 
thefe  points,  cannot  fail  to  underftand  and  believe  all 
the  reft.  For,  all  doctrinal,  experimental  and  practical 
Religion,  natively  refults  from  thefe  fundamental  truths. 

Befides, 

Thefe  fundamental  truths  give  light  to  each  other. 
So  that  if  once  the  glory  of  God,  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nor of  the  world,  is  feen,  the  reafon  and  nature  of  his 
law  will  be  plain.  And  if  that  is  plain,  the  deftn  of  the 
Incarnation  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God  will  be  evi- 
dent. And  then  the  whole  Gofpel  plan  will  naturally 
open  to  view,  and  appear  to  contain  a  complete  fyftem  of 
religions  fentiments,  harmonious  and  coniiftent  through- 
out, perfect  in  glory  and  beauty.  And  while  we  dif- 
cern  the  oppofition  of  this  fyftem  of  truths  to  every 
vicious  bias  in  the  human  mind,  the  nature  and  necef- 


VI  THE  PREFACE. 

fity  of  the  regenerating  and  fanclifying  influences  of  the- 
Holy  Spirit,  to  bring  us  rightly  to  underftand  the  Gof- 
pcl,  fee  it  in  its  glory  and  love  and  practice  it,  will 
be  eafily  difcerncd  :  And  at  the  fame  time,  every  one, 
well  acquainted  with  his  own  heart,  may  difcern  the 
true  fource  of  all  the  various  errors  which  have  been 
broached  in  the  ChiifVian  world  :  For  the  root  of  them 
all  is  in  the  heart  of  every  child  of  Adam. 

To  a/lift  the  candid  inquifitive  reader  to  look  down 
into  the  bottom  of  truth  and  error,  and  fee  things  in 
their  original  fources,  and  in  their  mutual  connections, 
that  the  true  Scripture  fcheme  may  rife  into  clear  view, 
andthefirft  fpringof  all  the  chief  errors  now  in  vogue  may 
be  clearly  difcerned,  is  the  defign  of  the  following  meets. 

The  reafonings  are  not  built  upon  here  and  there  a 
Scripture  text,  detached  from  its  connection  with  its 
context,  to  carry  away  the  reader's  mind  with  the  mere 
found  of  words  ;  rather  all  the  reafonings  arc  at  bottom 
founded  on  Scripture  facls,  viewed  in  a  Scripture  light; 
facts  which  cannot  be  denied  without  giving  up  our 
Baptifm  and  overthrowing  Chriftianity  by  wholefale. — 
And  a  chief  defign  is,  to  lead  all  parties,  if  they  will 
but  attend  to  the  fubject,  to  fee  that  the  gieat  doctrines 
of  the  Gofpel  are  not  difputable  points ;  yea,  fo  far  from 
it,  that  there  is  no  confident  medium  between  the  an- 
cient Apoftolic  Chriftianity,  and  Infidelity. 

The  fubject  is  noble,  the  defign  is  goc  d,  the  execu- 
tion, far  as  it  is  from  being  equal  to  fo  noble  a  fubject, 
is  prefented  to  the  candid  reader's  critical  perufal  and 
mature  judgment.  With  a  becoming  gencrofity  over- 
look the"  blemifhes  of  the  manner,  with  the  greateft  ea- 
gernefs  attend  to  the  matter,  feek  the  truth,  fearch  for 
it  as  for  filver,  dig  for  it  as  for  hid  treafure,  neither  be- 
lieve nor  difbelieve  but  in  exact  proportion  to  evidence  : 
To  the  law  and  to  the  teftimony-,  like  the  noble  Bareans. 

N.  B.  The  render  may  be  ad-virtijed,  that,fome  time  after 
this  EJJay  was  begun,  Mr.  Cudiuortb's  Farther  Defence  of 
Tbcron  and  Jfpafio  came  to  band,  fame  remarks  upon  n.vhiehy 
are  therefore  infertcd  here  and  there  in  the  margin.  So  far  as 
appears  needful  to  clear  and  ejiablijh  the  truth. 

March  1 1,  1762. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Containing  an  invitation  to  ftudy  the  Gofpel  of  Chrifi :— . 
As  it  gives  the  moft  glorious  difplay  of  all  the  Divine 
perjeclions^  that  ever  was  made. 

rp  HE  firfr,  and  fundamental  principle  of  all  Religion, 
A  natural  and  revealed,  is  this,  viz.  That  there  is  a 
god,  an  abfolutely  perfect,  and  infinitely  gloi  ious  and 
amiable  being  :  And  it  is  univerfally  agreed  to,  by 
all  who  believe  the  infpi ration  of  the  holy  Scriptures, 
that  this  God  is  the  Creator  of  all  things  :  that  in  the 
beginning  he  created  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth  ;  and 
that  by  him  were  created  all  things  that  are  in  Heaven, 
and  that  are  in  Earth,  vilible  and  invifible,  whether 
they  be  Thrones,  or  Dominions,  or  Principalities,  or 
Powers  :  all  things  were  created  by  him.  And  if  there 
is  a  God,  an  abfolutely  perfect  Being  ;  and  if  he  created 
all  things,  then  all  things  are  his,  by  an  original,  entire, 
underived,  independent  right.  And  if  fo,  it  inuft  of 
courfe  naturally  belong  to  him  to  take  care  of  his  own 
world,  to  oidir  and  difpofe  all  events  according  to  his 
pleafure  :  And  the  whole  of  his  conduct  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Univerfe  mud  be,  of  neceflity,  like  himfelf, 
perfect,  in  wifdom,  g»ory  and  beauty:  worthy  to  bead- 
mired  end  rejoiced   in,  by  all  created  intelligences 

And  if  all  God's  works  are  glorious,  much  more  muft 
b 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

the  work  of  redemption  by  Jifus  Guilt,  the  chief,  by 
far  the  chief  of  all  his  works,  exceed  in  glory. 

It  is  evident  from  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture,  that, 
2S  God  is  by  nature  invifible,  one  whom  no  eye  hath 
i'ezn  or  can  lccy  and  into  whole  elTence  no  created  intel- 
ligence can  look  ;  lb  one  chief  defign  of  all  his  works, 
is  to  manifeft  himfelf,  to  exhibit  the  clearer!  and  com- 
pleted: reprefentation  of  all  his  perfections  ;  and  parti- 
cularly, to  hold  forth  to  the  view  of  the  intellectual 
fyftem,  the  moil  lively  image  of  his  heart,  of  his  moral 
perfections  :  That,  as  it  is  above  the  capacity  of  finite 
intelligences  to  look  immediately  into  his  heart,  and  dif- 
cern  how  he  views  thing?,  and  is  affected  towards  them  ; 
they  might  hereby  be  enabled  to  form  right  conceptions 
of  his  nature,  and  fo  under  advantages  to  behold  his  in- 
finite, incomprehensible  glory,  fo  far  as  their  finite  ca- 
pacities will  admit. 

The  vifible  Creation,  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth, 
the  fun,  moon  and  (tars,   with  all  the  laws,  order  and 
harmony  in  the  natural  fyftem,  as  they  are  fpecimens 
of  the  Almighty  power,  infinite  wifdom  and  goodnefs  j 
fo  they  may  be  confidered  as  a  defigned  manifestation 
of  thefe  perfections,  as  inanimate  pictures  of  the  invifi- 
ble glories  of  the  invifible  God.     But  if  we  turn  our 
eyes  off  from  the  material  world,   the  meaneit.  part  of 
God's  Creation,  to  the  view  of  holy  intelligences,  who 
were  in  a  peculiar  fenfe,  made  after  the  image  of  God, 
here  we  mall  behold  living  images  ol  the  living  Gcd. 
But  (till  all  this  is  finite,  the  inanimate  pictures  and  the 
living  images  are  finite  ;    but  God  himfelf  is  abfelutely 
infinite.     Thefe    reprefentations,    therefore,    are    very 
fcanty,very  deficient ;    and  but  a  fmall  portion  of  God, 
can  be  known  by  them.     Wherefore   infinite   wifdom 
hath  laid  a  plan,   in  which  he  himfelf,  as  it  were,  may 
ceafe  to  be  invifible,  may  come  out  to  the  view  of  the 
intellectual  fyitem  in  all  his  glory,  in  the  pcrfon  of  Jefus 
Chrift  his  Son,  who  is  the  image  of  the  invifible  God, 
even  the  brightnefs  of  his  glory,  and  the  exprefs  image 
of  his  peifon.     The  vail  is  rem — the  holy  of  holies  Is 
expoied  to  public  view,  and  ;he  glory  of  the  Lord  is  to 


INTRODUCTION.  Xt 

be  feen'by  Saints  on  Earth,  and  Principalities  and  Pow- 
ers in  Heaven,  in  the  face  of  Jefus  Chrift.  This  ma- 
nifeftation  therefore  of  God,  in  and  by  Jefus  Chrift, 
which  is  called  the  Gofpel,  is  the  completeft  and  bright- 
eft  exhibition  of  all  the  divine  perfections  that  ever  was, 
or  that  (perhaps)  ever  will  be  made.  The  infpired 
Apoftle,  might  well  then  call  the  Gofpel,  the  glori- 
ous gospel  of  jesus  CHRIST  :  As  beyond  ail  doubt 
the  glory  of  the  work  of  our  redemption  by  Chrift,  ex- 
ceed?, far  exceeds  in  glory,  not  only  the  glorious  works 
of  men,  or  more  glorious  works  of  Angels  ;  but  even 
exceeds  in  glory,  all  the  other  glorious  works  of  God 
himfelf. 

While,  therefore,  men  of  the  greateft  genius  think 
themfelves  well  employed  in  contemplating  the  laws, 
order  and  harmony  of  the  natural  world,  let  us  now, 
with  the  greateft  attention  and  ardour,  join  with  Prin- 
cipalities and  Powers  in  Heaven,  in  prying  into  the 
glorious  myfteries  of  God's  moral  fvftem,  all  prc-fup- 
pofed  or  implied  in  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  jefus  Chrift. 

And  the  rather,  becaufe  it  is  pofiible,  that  while  we 
live  under  the  clear  light  of  the  Gofpel,  we  may  be 
blind  to  all  its  peculiar  glories;  and  io  never  believe 
it  to  be  true,  nor  reap  any  favin^  benefit  from  it ;  but 
be  finally  loft — eternally  loft.  For,  as  Saint  Paul  oh- 
ferves,  tf  our  Go/pel  be  hid,  it  is  bid  to  them  that  are 
loft  ;  if?  whom  the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
minds  of  them  that  believe  -not,  left  the  light  of  the  glori- 
ous Gofpel  of  Chrift,  who  is  the  image  of  God\  fooulk  fhine 
unto  them.  Wherefore,  while  we  fearch  into  the  nature 
and  glory  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift,  let  us  pray, 
that  he  who  commanded  the  light,  to  fhine  out  of  darknefs> 
would  Jhine  in  our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jefus  Chrift.  That 
we  all  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  ghfs  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  may  be  changed  into  the  fame  image,  from  glory 
to  glory,  as  by  the  fpirit  of  the  Lord.  2  Cor.  iii.  18,  and 
iv.  3,  4)  5. 

b     2 


XU  INTRODUCTION. 

In  thefe  words  of  the  Apoftle  juft  cited,  to  which  a 
fpecial  reference  will  be  had  in  the  following  EfTay — 
thefe  things  may  be  obferved  : — That  the  Gofpel  of 
Chrift,  is  a  glorious  Gofpel. — That  the  glory  of  the 
Gofpel  is  ken  by  all  who  lit  under  it,  that  are  not  blind  : 
and  all  who  fee  its  glory  do  believe,  favingly  believe. — 
That  thofe  who  are  blind  to  the  glory  of  the  Gofpel,  do 
not  believe  it — The  Gofpel  is  hid  from  them, and  they  are 
loft.— That  the  Devil's  grand  fcheme  is  to  keep  men 
blind  to  the  glory  of  the  Gofpel ;  as  knowing,  that  this 
is  the  direct  method  to  prevent  their  ever  believing  it, 
to  the  faving  of  their  fouls.- — Thatfpiritual  illumination, 
whereby  men  are  brought  to  fee  the  glory  of  the  Gof- 
pel, to  fee  the  glory  of  God  in  the  fv.ee  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
is  as  immediately  from  G^.d,  ax  was  natural  light,  when 
God  commanded  the  light  to  (bine  out  of  darknefs  ;— 
faying,  lei  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light. — That  all 
who  behold  this  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into 
the  fame  image. 

Thefe  proportions  are  expreflly  declared,  or  plainly 
implied  in  the  words  of  the  Apoftle.  Wherefore  let 
us  inquire  into  the  nature  and  glory  of  the  Gofpel  of 
Chrift — into  the  nature  and  confequenccs  of  Spiritual 
Blindnefs — and  into  the  nature  and  effects  of  Divino 
Illumination. 


ESSAY. 


AN  ESSAY,  &c 


SECTION    I. 

A  General  View  of  the  Nature  of  the  Gcfpel, 

THE  wordGofrcl,  ftgnifies  good  news.     The  good 
-*-    news  ccmes  from  Heaven ;  from  God,  the  great  : 
of  the  Univerfe.    It  was  firft  more  darkly  hinted  to  Adam 
immediately  after  the  Fall  ;  and  ham, 

Ifaac  and  Jacob,  by  God  nimfelf;  and  by  Mofes  ail 
the  Prophets   in  God's  name  to  lirael  of  oid  :   B 
ail,  the  whole  glorious  plan  v.  ,  and 

pubiilhed  to  the  world  by  Jefu  ;  Chrift,  and 

And  he,  who  will  be  at  the  pains  cafe  folly  and  critically 
to   read  the  Eible  through,   and   take  a  fail  view  oi 
whole  account  as  it  there  Hands,    will 
particulars,  among  many  ethers,    i 
gofpel  of  jefus  Chriil. 

1.  That  God  is  confideredas  the  moral  Governor  of  the 
world  ;  that  M.n  is  confidered  as  a  proper  fubjett  of  moral 
government  ;   thai  God's  law  is  conikierea  as  holy, 

and  good  ;  that   Man  has  broken  it,  Jt   excufe, 

ltands  guilty  before  Gcd,    already  is  fo 

far  from  pcniicnce,   that  he  is  dead  in  fin,    an   enemy  to 
God,  and  at  enmity  againft  His  law  and  government. 

2.  That  God  did  not  judge  it  fuitable  to  the  honour  of 
his  Majeily,or  agreeable  to  the  honour  of  hi;  law  and  go- 
vernment, in  a  fovereign  way,  by  the  influences  of  his 
fpirit,  to  bring  Man  to  repentance,  and  then  by  a  fovereign 
adl  of  grace  to  pardon  him,  and  receive  him  to  favour 
entitle  him  to  eternal  life,  without  a  Mediator  and  ai* 
atonement.  B 


2  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [sEC.  1* 

3.  That  God  has  appointed  his  own  Son  to  be  a  Media- 
tor, and  made  him  a  curfe,  to  redeem  us  from  the  curfe, 
that  through  him  he  might  communicate  the  holy  fpirit  : 
and  fee  him  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  that  through  Faith 
in  his  blood,  we  might  receive  forgivenefs  of  iins  ;  and  yet 
God  be  juft,  and  the  honour  of  his  law  be  fecured  in  the 
fight  of  all  worlds. 

So  that  the  doctrine  of  Chrifl's  atonement,  confidered  in 
its  antecedents,  effeds,  and  confequences,  is  the  Cum  and 
fubftance  of  the  Gofpel.  This  is  the  good  news,  that 
God  fa  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
nubofoe<ver  believeth  in  him  foould  not  perijb  ;  but  have  ever- 
lajlinglife.  Joh.  iii.  16.  And  therefore  St.  Paul  fums  up 
all  in  thefc  words,  Chriji  crucified,  1  Cor.  1,  23.  Jefus 
Cbriff,  and  him  crucified.  iCor.ii.  2.  and  fometimes  merely 
in  the  crofs  of  Cbrijt.  Gal.  vi.  14.  Yea,  in  that  one  word, 
the  crofs.   1  Cor.  i.  18. 

When  the  Gofpel  was  frit  publifhed  to  fallen  Man,  it 
was  in  words  to  this  effect,  The  feed  of  the  Woman  Jball 
bruize  the  ferpenfs  head — But  how  bruize  the  fer pent s  head? 
It  was  not  then  a  proper  time  to  declare  in  exprefs  lan- 
guage, but  facririces  were  instituted  to  mew  how,  by  way  c£ 
emblematical  reprefentation,  as  they  were  types  and  fha- 
dows  of  the  great  atonement.  Abel  facrificed  ;  Noah  fa- 
crificed ;  and  Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob  offered  facrifice  ; 
and  almoft  the  whole  external  worfhip  of  God,  under  the 
Mofaic  difpenfa  ion,  which  was  defigned  as  an  introduction 
to  Chriftianity,  confined  in  offering  facrifice;  and  without 
f&edding  of  blood  there  was  no  remiffian.  Ana  the  meaning 
of  all  ihis  was  made  plain,  when  the  Son  of  God  became 
incarnate,  that  through  death  he  might  deftroy  him  that  had 
the  poxver  of  death,  that  is,  the  Devil :  and  deliver  them 
who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  life-time  J'ubjeSt  to. 
bondage.  Heb.  ii.  14,  15. 

Hjw  had  the  Devil  the  power  of  death  ? — It  was  the 
Devil';'  original  defign  to  be  the  death  and  d  eft  ruction  of 
all  the  human  race,  perhaps,  that  in  the  ruin  of  God's  new 
made  world,  he  min;ht  be  revenged  for  his  expulfion  out  of 
Heaven.  He  thought  that  if  they  finned,  they  muft  inevi- 
tably die,  according  to  the  exprefs  declaration  of  God's 
law.  He  had  lately  felt  the  force  of  the  divine  law  he  was 
under.  He  finned,  and  he  was  baniflied  from  the  celefrial 
regions,  down  to  eternal  woe  and  endlefs  defpair.     He 


SEC.  I.]  NATURE  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  3 

tempted  Man  to  fin,  that  he  might  be  joined  in  the  fame 
Hate.  For  if  Gcd  vv ill  be  fo  levere  as  to  kill  and  damn 
for  the  firft  offence,  Satan's  practice  feeraed  to  declare,  that 
he  could  wii'h  God  might  have  nothing  e:fe  to  do  among 
all  his  fubjeclj.  So  that  when  a  fallen  world  was  doomed 
to  death,  it  was  the  very  thing  Satan  would  nave.  And  fo 
death  became,  as  it  were,  his  fervant.  It  ferved  his  will, 
it  accompliihed  his  fcheme,  and  anfwered  his  ends, as  though 
it  had  been  in  his  power.  God  feemed  obliged  in  honour 
to  put  his  law  in  execution  !  but  in  doing  or  it,  he  would 
gratify  the  Devil,  the  greateft  enemy  to  God,  to  law,  and 
to  the  whole  fyftem.  This  was  Satan's  malicious  crafty 
fcheme,  and  thus  perhaps  was  he  ready  to  fay,  "  If  law  i3 
put  in  execution,  man  mull  die  ;  and  God  will  be  riifap- 
poir.ted  of  the  glory  of  his  new  creation,  and  I  (hall  tri- 
umph. If  law  is  vacated  and  fet  alide  in  favour  of  rebel 
Man,  no  more  let  the  Almighty  Monarch  pretend  to  impar- 
tial jullicc  :  As  well  might  law  have  been  let  afide  in  my 
cafe  ;  my  excluiion  from  Heaven  was  an  arbitrary  aft  ;  if 
arbitrary,  then  tyrannical  :  And  what  care  1  for  the  wrath 
of  an  angry  tyrant  ?  Hell  will  be  no  longer  Hell  to  me." 
Wherefore,  there  was  a  peculiar  propriety  in  the  firft 
promife  being  delivered  to  Man  in  the  form  of  a  threatning 
to  Satan.  The  feed  of  the  woman  Jhall  bruize  the  ferpent's 
head.  For  it  was  a  chief  defign  of  infinite  wildom  to  dif- 
concert  the  Devil's  fcheme,  break  up  his  plan,  and  fo  kill 
the  old  Serpent  in  a  way  fuited  to  his  own  nature.  And 
what  can  cruciate  him  more,  and  put  him  to  greater  tor- 
ment, than  to  fee  law  honoured;  and  Man  faved,  both  at 
once  ;  and  an  eternal  end  put  to  his  influence,  in  a  way 
moil  honourable  to  God,  and  advantageous  to  the  fyftem  : 
whiifl  himfeif  and  all  his  obitinate  adherents  are  doomed 
to  e  veil  ailing  fire. 

But  how  can  law  be  honoured,  and  Man  faved,  both  at 
once  ? — For  this  end  Chriit  became  incarnate,  ami  placed 
himfelf  in  our  room  and  Read,  that  through  death  he 
might  destroy  the  Devil,  break  up  his  fcheme  ;  fet 
at  liberty  his  guilty  trembling  captives,  who  through  fear 
cf  death  are  all  their  life-time  fu!jecl  to  bondage.  For  he 
was  made  a  curfe  to  redeem  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  tazv  :  fet 
forth  to  he  a  propitiation,  to  declare  God's  righteoufnefs,  that 
God  might  be,  and  appear  to  be,  juft,  while  he  justifies  the 
B     2 


4-  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SEC.  I. 

Sinner;  and  fo  the  law  be  magnified  and  made  honourable, 
while  the  Sinner  is  faved  :  Death  turned  into  a  biefling, 
and  be  fucceeded  by  a  glorious  refurreftion,  ar.d  a  bleiiwd 
immortality1. 

And  thus  the  defign  of"  Chriil's  death,  was  to  fecure  the 
honour  of  the  divine  government,  and  open  a  way  for  the 
honourable  excrciie  of  his  grace  in  the  falvation  of  Sinners. 
And  this  is  fo  plainly  held  forth  in  the  whole  of  divine 
Revelation,  that  it  is,  at  leaft,  in  words,  generally  agreed. 
to  by  almoft  all  parties,  however  differently  they  profefs  to 
think  in  many  other  points.  In  words,  I  fay,  for  if  in 
reality  it  was  agreed  to,  all  parties  would  loon  agree 
in  every  other  important  article  of  the  Chriftian  Faith* 

It  is  true,  there  arc  ibme  divines,  who  fecm  to  think, 
that  God  might  arbitrarily  have  fet  afide  his  law  in  favour 
of  fallen  Man;  and  that  evenjiis  own  perfections  obliged 
him  to  it  ;  and  to  pardon  and  receive  to  favour  his  fmful 
creatures  upon  their  repentance,  had  there  never  been  a 
Mediator  or  an  atonement.  Repentance  and  reformation 
was  all  the  atonement  they  could  make,  and  all  that  God 
could  demand.  "  I  affirm,"  fays  one,  <e  it  is  an  article  of 
natural  religion,  that  forgivenefs  does  certainly  follow  re- 
pentance :  If  God  be  a  merciful  and  benign  Being,  he  will 
accept  the  payment  we  are  able  to  make  ;  and  not  infill  on 
impoffible  demands  with  his  frail  bankrupt  creatures. "(i) 

But  little  do  fuch  divines  think  how  their  confident  af- 
firmations are  really  fubverfiveof  the  whole  of  Chriilianity  : 
For  if  there  had  been  a  laiv,  ivhicb  could  have  given,  life,  verily 
right  eoifncfs  had  been  by  the  laiv.  Gal.  iii.  21.  J  fit  had 
been  ''an  article  of  natural  Religion"  that  any  doings  of 
ours  could  have  in  reafon  entitled  us  to  the  divine  favour, 
verily  God  would  have  proceeded  with  mankind  upon  the 
principles  of  natural  Religion,  and  not  needleflly  have  been. 
at  fuch  infinite  ex  pence,  as  the  facrifice  of  his  Son.  For 
if  upon  the  principles  of  natural  religion,  finful  man  could 
obtain  the  favour  of  God,  the  detth  of  Chrift  was  unnecef- 
fary.  Gal.  ii.  12.  If  rightccufmfs  come  by  the  law,  then 
Chrift  is  dead  in  vain. 

As  this  is  Saint  Paul's  reafoning,  who  certainly  had  a 
right  understanding  oL Christianity  ;  fo  it  not  only  confute! 
fuch  affirmations  as  that  juft  mentioned,  which   are  cited 

(1)  Mr.  Nye,  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion,  f.  85,  86. 


SEC.  i]  NATURE  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

and  improved  by  deiilical  writers  (i)  in  the  caufe  of  Infi- 
delity :   but  alfu  at  the  fame  time,  thefe  woras  of  the  Apof- 
tle  precisely  determine  what  it  was  that  rendered  the  death 
of  Chrilt  neceflary,   in  order  to  the  juftincation  and  ialva- 
tion  of  Sinners.    The  law  <wds  weak  through  the  jlejh  (Rom. 
vii.  3)  i.  e.  through  our  depravity  ;    and  although    origi- 
nally  ordained  to  give  life  (Rom.  vii.  10)  was  now  unable 
to  do  it.     For  the  law  required  perfect  obedience  on  pain 
of  eternal  damnation  ;    as  it  is  written,   Curfed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  heck  of  the  Law, 
to  do  them.  Gal.   iii.    10.      But  all  have  finned,  and   fo  the 
*whole  world  Jland  guiltj  he/ore  God,  according  to  the  law, 
which  all  the  world  are  under.  Rom.  iii.  9,  19.    This  law, 
therefore,  which   was  ordained  to  life,  can  now  be  only 
unto  death.    Rom.  vii.  10.     And  there  is  no  other  law. — 
So  there  is  no  Jaw  which  can  give  life.     This    rendered 
the  obedience  and  atonement  of  Chrift  abfolutely  necelTary 
in  order  to  prevent  the  univerfal  ruin  of  the  human  race. 
For  the  law  being  holy,juJl  and  good  (Rom.  vii.  12)   mull 
not  be  fet  afide.     Heaven  and  Earth  Jkall  pafs  away,    but 
not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  law  mujl  fail : — //  muji  be  all  ful- 
filled. Mat.  v.  17,  18.     Could  men  have  anfwered  the  de- 
mands of  the  law,  Chrift's  obedience  and  death  had  been 
needlefs  :      For  if  righteoufnefs   come    by  the  law,    Chrifi  is 
dead  in  vain.     So  that  this  was  the  end  of  Chrift's  death, 
and  that,  but  for  which,  he  never  would  have  died,  his 
death   being  needlefs  and  in  vain  on  any  other  account, 
according  to  Saint  Paul. 

It  is  true,  the  divine  and  holy  manner  in  which  he  went 
through  his  fufferings,  exhibits  a  glorious  example  for  all 
his  difciples  to  follow,  when  they  are  called  to  go  through 
fufferings  in  his  caufe.  But  as  there  would  be  no  virtue 
in  expofing  ourfelves  to  death,  when  not  called  to  it ;  fo 
there  could  be  no  virtue  in  going  through  death  in  ever 
fo  heroic  a  manner  in  fuch  a  cafe.  Rather  it  might  be 
judged,  that  we  fling  away  our  lives,  not  only  impru- 
dently, but  very  finfully  :  And  our  example  would  be  fo 
far  from  deferving  to  be  admired  and  imitated,  that  it 
ought  to  be  publickly  condemned  ;  to  the  end  that  others 
might  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no  rritore  fo  wickedly.  If 
therefore  our  Saviour  laid  down  his  life,  when  there  was 

(1)   Tindal.  /.   354. 


6  A  GENERAL   VIEW  OF  THE  [SEC.  I. 

no  need  of  it,  there  was  no  virtue  in  his  conduct,  nothing 
commendable  in  his  example,  nor  worthy  of  imitation  ;— • 
but  the  whole  was  a  lcene  of  deliberate  wickednefs.  But 
thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  the  all-wife  God,  whole  judg- 
ment is  always  according  to  truth,  viewed  the  afRir,  viz. 
If  right ecuj'hefs  come  by  the  laiv,  then  Cbriji  is  dead  i?i  'vain. 

To  fay,  "  that  although  righteoufnels  does  come  by 
the  law,  yet  Chriit  did  not  die  in  vain,  as  his  death  was 
needful  to  feal  his  teltimony  to  the  truth,  as  other  martyrs 
have  done,"  is  not  only  exprtflly  to  contradict  the  Holy 
Ghoit  (Gal.  ii,  21)  but  is  even  an  affront  to  common 
fcnfe.  Other  Martyrs  were  Sinners,  and  deferved  to  die  ; 
for  death  is  the  wages  of  fin  :  But  he  was  innocent,  and 
holy  to  perfection.  And  had  he  called  for  twelve  legions 
of  Angels,  and  out  of  his  enemies  hands,  afcended  to  Hea- 
ven in  viiible  glory,  it  had  been  a  fufficient  atteftation  to 
the  truths  he  taught,  had  he  only  been  a  Prophet  fent  from 
God,  to  republiih  the  law  of  nature.  But  how  then  Jhould 
the  Scriptures  have  been  fulfilled,  which  had  marked  him 
out  for  a  facrince  of  atonement,  to  make  an  end  of  fin,  and 
bring  in  everlaftir.g  rigbtcoufnefs .  For  he  was,  according  to 
the  plan  laid  in  Heaven,  intimated  in  the  facred  writings, 
to  be  wounded  for  our  tran/grej/ions,  'and  bruifed  for  our  ini- 
quities, the  chajlijement  of  our  peace  was  to  be  upon  him,  that 
by  bis  ft ripe s  we  might  be  healed  :  For  we  all  like  Jheep  had 
gone  afiray,  and  the  Lord  had  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us 
all.  lfai.  iiii.  On  this  defign.  the  Son  of  God  became  in- 
carnate, and  for  this  purpole  he  died,  and  had  it  net  been 
for  this,  the  death  of  an  incarnate  God  had  been  entirely 
needlefs.  For  thus  Heaven  has  declared,  if  righteoujnefs 
ccme  by  the  law,  then  Cbriji  is  dead  in  vain. 

Well  therefore  might  the  holy  Apoftle  fum  up  the  whole  of 
the  glorioui  Gofpel  in  one  word,  IVe  preach,  Chriji  crucified ' : 
For  indeed  this  was  in  effect  the  whole  of  the  good  and 
glorious  news  they  had  to  proclaim  to  a  guilty  world.  It 
was  long  before  decreed  in  Heaven,  that  he  mould  die  ; 
it  was  the  determinate  counfel  of  God,  from  the  beginning, 
that  through  death  he  Jhould  dejiroy  the  Devil,  break  up  his 
fcheme,  and  thoroughly  bruifs  his  head.  And  for  this,  in 
the  fulnefs  of  time,  he,  left  his  Father's  bofem.  For  this 
he  became  fi?fo  ;  and  for  this  he  entered  upon  his  publick 
miniftry,  characterized  by  John  the  Baptift,  at  that  junc- 
ture, the  Lamb   of  God  which  taketh  avuay   the  Jin  of  the 


SEC.  I.]  NATURE  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  7 

world:  the  true  antitype  of  all  the  Jewilh  facrifices.  For 
this  he  called  the  twelve  from  their  nets,  that  they  might 
be  his  witnefles  to  all  nations.  For  this  he  went  up  to 
jerufalem,  knowing  what  fhould  befall  him  ;  and  l^ow  am 
Ijtraitned,  fa;d  he,  'till  it  be  uccomplijbcd.  Fur  this  he  went 
into  the  Garden,  knowing  tha;  his  enemies  would  find  him 
there  ;  and  in  a  view  of  the  abfolute  necefiity  of  his  death  lor 
the  falvation  of  Sinners,  he  laid  to  iiis  Father,  thy  will  be 
done  :  and  then  voluntarily  refigncd  hirnfelf  up  into  his 
enemies  hands,  when  he  could  have  (truck  them  dead,  or 
had  twelve  legion  of  Aogels  to  have  guarded  hi.n  from 
their  malice.  Hay  down  my  life  for  the  foeep.  Ti.is  com- 
mandment have  I  received  /ram  my  Father.  For  him  did 
God  the  Father  fet  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  to  declare  his 
righteoufnefs ,  that  he  might  be  jujt.  And  lor  this  the  Father 
loved  hi. ti,  becaufe  he  .aid  down  his  life  J  /'•      And 

to  teltify  his  love  and  well-pleafednefs  in  the  light  of  the 
whole  intellectual  fyftem,  he  i ailed  him  from  the  dead,  fet 
him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  Heaven,  declared  hirnfelf 
ready  to  be  reconciled,  ana  ordered  reprntai.ee  ar.d  remif- 

fion  of  fins  to  be  preached  to  all  nations  in  his  came. 

Nay,  all  pouet  in  Heaven  and  Z~;il\  is  committed  into  his 
hands,  that  he  might  reign  'till  all  his  enemies  are  put 
under  his  feet,  and  Satan'o  whole  fcheme  completely  aif- 
appointed.  For  as  lie  loved  rigbteoujnefs  and  bated  iniquity 
with  fuch  fervour,  as  moved  mm  to  interpofe  and  die  in 
this  caule,  tc  difcounteaancc  fin,  and  magnify  the  divine 
law,  bring  glory  to  God,  falvation  to  men,  and  fo  dcflroy 
the  Devii  ;  wherefore  God  hath  anointed  him  with  the  oil 
of  gladmfs  above  bis  fellows.  Heb.  i.  9.  Given  ban  a  name 
above  every  name.  Phil.  ii.  9.  And  decreed,  that,  he  jkould 
fee  of  the  travail  of his  fcul,  ar.d  be  fat:  sped.  (Ifai.  liii.  11.) 
that  is,  fee  as  much  ojory  to  God  and  benefit  to  the  crea- 
ture, refult  from  his  death  on  the  crefs,  as  ids  foul  dt  fires. 

Was  his  lo\e  to  God,  zeal  for  his  glory,  and  for  the 
honour  of  his  government,  and  cc-mpaiTicn  to  loft  Sin- 
ners, (o  great,  as  to  bring  him  from  iiis  Father's  bofom, 
worihipped  by  all  the  heavenly  heft, to  hang  naked,  tortured, 
inful.ed  on  the  ciofs,  and  there  expire  in  the  uimofl  ago- 
nies!— ..5  great  glory  to  God,  as  g~eat  honour  to  iii.i  law, 
as  great  falvation  to  Icil  Sinners  (hall  refult  herefrom,  as 
to  oe  equal  to  his  love  and  zeal  and  p'ty,  infinite  as  they 
weie.  Fur  be  fhall  fee  the  travail  of  'his  foul ,  and  be  jatisfed. 


&  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SECT.  I. 

He  fiiail  fee  the  fruit  of  his  labours  till  he  fays  it  is  enough. 
But  what  can  be  enough  in  the  eyes  of  fuch  an  one  !  What 
can  fatisfy  a  heart  like  his  !  whole  regard  to  the  honour 
of  Lrcd  and  of  ins  law,  and  to  the  weirdie  cf  loit  Sinners, 
>  infinitely  great !  Eye  bath  not jt.cn,  ear  hath  not  heardy 
r  bath  it  entered  into  tbe  heart  of  man  to  conceive!  But 
in  the  midli  of  all  this,  we  have  the  highelt  poilible  aflu- 
rance  of  his  lincerity  in  faying,  Him  that  cometb  unto  me,  I 
rxill  in  no  tui/e  caji  out,  (John  vi.  37.)  tor  thele  the  Father 
gave  him,  they  were  the  lheep  he  loved,  and  laid  down  bis 
life  for  j  the  joy  Jet  bef ore  him,  for  whole  falvation  he  endured 
tve  crbjs  and  uej'pij'ed  the  jhame  ;  thele  are  his  feed,  the  travail 
cf  bisjbul,  for  whom  he  teas  fmiiten  of  God,  and  in  whofe 
ltead  he  became  a  curj'e,  to  redeem  them  f rem  the  curj'e,  and 
that  the  blej/rng  of  Abraham  might  come  upon  them. 

Thus  this  is  the  lum  and  fubftance  of  the  glorious  Gof- 
pel  of  Jefus  Chrift.  We  preach  Cbriji  crucifed,  This  was 
the  glorious  and  joyful  news  the  Apultles  proclaimed  to  a  re- 
volted, guilty  world.  And  if  to  the  Jews  Chi  ill  crucified 
was  a  fumbling  block,  and  to  the  G  reeks  foolifonefs  y  yet  to 
them  who  were  called,  Chrift  crucified,  was  the  power 
cf  God  and  the  ivifdem  of  God. — But  this  leads  us  to  take  a 
view  of  the  glory  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chiift. 


section  11. 

A  General  View  «f  the  Glory  of  the  Gofpel. 

THE  Gofpel  is  denominated  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  Jefus 
Chrift  s  and  its  glory  is  reprefented  to  be  divine  glory. 
For  it  is  called  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 
2  Cor.  iii.  18.  Chap.  iv.  6.  The  law,  as  a  minif  ration  of 
death  and  condemnation,  is  faid  to  be  glorious  ;  but  the  Gof- 
pel exceeds  in  glory ,  (2  Cor.  iii.  7,  10.)  becaule  we  have  in 
the  Gofpel  a  more  full  and  bright  manifeftation  of  the  glory 
of  the  divine  nature.  The  glory  of  both  is  of  the  fame 
nature,  divine  glory  ;  but  in  the  Gofpel  it  mines  with 
greater  brightnefs.  Now  the  glory  of  the  divine  nature 
confifts  in  infinite  wifdom,  holinefs,  juftice,  goodnefs,  and 
truth.  Thcfe  perfections  are  the  beauty  of  the  Divinity.  But 


SEC.  II.]  GLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  $ 

how  are  they  manifefted  in  the  Gofpel  ? — It  is  true,  the 
ends  propofed  in  the  Gofpel  arc  very  glorious,  to  bring 
glory  to  God,  falvation  to  Men,  and  deftruclion  to  Satan's 
caufe  :  But  how  are  the  means  glorious  ? — Cbrijt  crucified. 
How  are  the  divine  perfections  manifefted  in  bringing 
about  thcfe  ends  by  the  incarnation  and  death  of  the  Son 
of  God  ?  This  has  been  a  fumbling  block  to  the  Jenx:,  and 
foolijhnefs  to  the  Greek  ;  and  yet  is  affirmed  to  be  in  an  emi- 
nent and  peculiar  manner  the  nxifaom  of  God — But  how, 
and  wherein,  does  the  wifdom  of  Vjou  appear  in  the  death 
of  his  Son  ?  This  is  the  point  to  whicn  we  are  now  care- 
fully to  attend. 

It  has  been  obferved  that  the  death  of  Chrifl  was  de- 
figned  to  aniwer  the  m  m^nds  of  the  law  in  our  ftead.  The 
law  nad  fail,  cur  fed  is  every  one  thai  ccutinueth  not  in  all 
things  written  in  (he  bock  nf  the  la<u,  tc  ao  ti.em.  But  ny  the 
deeds  of  this  law  no  jiejh  can  be  jufujied  in  tfejight  of  God ; 
for  by  it  all  ft  *nd  con-em  ned  as  dinners.  '1  herefore  Chrifl: 
•was  made  a  curfe  to  redeem  us  from  its  turfe  :  not  becaufe  it 
vas  a  bad  la-*  :  and  lo  (he  f  ;oit  in  tne  i.iw-giver  :  but  be- 
caufe the  law  was  holy,  jttft  and  good,  and  mankind  with- 
out excufe,  guilty  befwie  God,  as  much  to  blame  as  the 
<urfe  of  the  law  imr  orted.  He  was  jet  forth  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation to  declare  God's  rigotecujrtfs  ;  anu  iv>  in  his  death  he 
magnified  the  laiv   and  maae   i.    honourable,   liai.    xlii.    2  1. 

I    But  there  is  no  wifdom  in  doing   honour  to  that,  which  is 

j    not  worthy  of  hon  ut— And  tn.ref  re. 

If  the  divine  taw  was  nit  h-iy,  juil  and  good,  and  did 
not  in  its  own  nature  defeive  ;o  be  magnified  and  made 
honourable  at  luch  an  infinre  expence  «.s  the  blood  of  the 
Son  of  G  >d,  hj.v  wa  it  wife  in  God  to  eive  his  Son  to  die 
for  'his  purpofe  ?  And  if  ic  was  not  wife,  how  was  the  di- 
vine conduct  in  thi-  aff  ir  in  any  refp  ct  God-like  and 
glorious  ?  If  it  was  nor  wife,  ic  wa  unwife.  It  n  ufl  be 
unwiie  to  be  ar  inch  infinite  •  xpence,  if  the  nature  of  the 
cafe  did  not  call  for  it,  if  t  e  law  d\A  not  defeive  luch  ho- 
nour. And  if  there  was  no  need  .  f  uch  an  atonement  in 
Order  toourp.rdon  and  f  .v..  inn,  it  was  no  art  of  kindnefs 
to  us.  We  might  hive  been  faved  a?  well  without.  And 
if  the  law  wa-  in  i's  own  nature  too  lev:  re  it  could  not  be 
a  holy,  or  a  jull  att  in  G;;d  to  require  (uch  an  atonement 
in  order  to  our  pardon  and  falvation;  but  the  contrary. 
C 


10  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SEC.  ir. 

It  mud  therefore  be  laid  down  as  a  fundamental  maxim, 
that  the  divine  law  in  its  full  extent,  and  with  all  its  curfes, 
and  that  with  refpedt  not  only  to  Adam  in  innocency,  but 
alio  to  all  hi>  finfal  race,  in  whofe  itead  Chrift  has  borne 
its  curfe,  is  really,  in  itfelf,  and  in  the  eyes  of  God,  holy, 
juit  and  good,  glorious  and  amiable,  worthy  of  having 
its  honour  fecured  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  For 
there  can  be  no  glory  in  the  death  of  Chrift,  if  the  law  be 
not  glorious.  Rather,  it  muit  have  been  contrary  to  all 
the  divine  perfections  tor  God  to  have  given  his  Son  to  die, 
to  do  honour  to  that  which  deferved  no  honour.  And  the 
Gofpel  which  brings  us  the  news,  inilead  of  revealing  the 
glory  of  God,  would  bring  to  light  an  affair  infinitely  and 
everlaftingiy  to  his   difhonour. — For, 

How  muit.it  appear  in  the  eyes  of  ail  holy  beings,  if  the 
law  was  good  only  with -relpect  to  Adam  before  the  Fall, 
but  not  with  refpeft  to  him  or  his  pofterity  fince  ;  that 
Chrilt  mould  be  made  a  cuife,  to  redeem  not  only  Adam, 
but  to  tedeem  us  from  the  curfe  :  That  Chrift.  mould  die 
to  make  atonement,  not  only  for  the  one  offence  of  Adam, 
his  firit  fiii,  but  the  many  offences  of  Adam,  and  of  his 
finful  race  ;  even  for  every  breach  of  that  law,  which 
curfeth  every  one,  chat  con tinueth  rot  in  all  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  If  the  Jaw  had  not 
been  in  its  full  extent,  holy,  juit  and  good,  with  refpect  to 
a  fallen  world,  furely  a  being  of  perfect  rectitude  and  infi- 
nite goodneis,  muft  have  difannulled  it,  and  not  iubje&ed 
his  own  Sor.  in  our  ftead  to  bear  the  curie. 

If  indeed  vjz  arc  a  fallen,  fiuful,  guilty  world  (and  if  we 
are  not,  we  did  not  need  the  Son  of  God  to  die  in  our  be- 
half)  it  is  not  at  all  ftrange,  if  there  mould  be  many  and 
great  prejudices  in  our  hearts  again  ft  the  divine  law  which 
we  have  broke,  and  by  which  we  (land  condemned,  blind- 
ing our  minds  to  its  reaion.  blenefs  ar>d  excellency,  and 
temoiing  us  to  think  it  far  from  being  holy,  j.ii  and  gon  d. 
Nor  is  it  at  all  ftrange,  if  Satan,  who  wa-  b.miflied  fnm 
Heaven  bv  a  like  law,  and  is  an  avowed  enemy  to  God 
and  to  his  government,  ihould  defire  to  it  engthen  cur 
prejudices  againft  the  divine  law,  and  do  ali  in  hi?  power 
to  blind  our  minds,  lelt  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gofpel  of 
Chrift  flic-aid  trine  in  our  hearts.  Bu'  only  let  our  hearts 
be  sHvefted  of  prejudices,  and  in  a  difpoliticn  to  approve 


3EC.  II.]  GLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  II 

that  which  is  really  excellent,  and  wc  cannot  fall  to  difcern 
the  realonablenei}  and  b-auty  or"  the  divine  law. —  l;or. 

If  God  is  an  abfolutely  perfect  being  (and  to  deny  that 
he  is,  is  down-right  athcifm)  he  mult  be  n. finitely  glorious 
and  amiable  in  himiclf :  and  therefore  he  muit  be  infinitely 
worthy  of  that  fupreme  love  and  honour,  from  all  the  chil- 
dren  of  men,  which  the  law  requires.  And  infinite  vvor- 
thinefs  lays  a  foundation  for  infinite  obligation  :  and  infinite 
obligation  to  love  and  honour  God  fupiemdy,  uiii  render 
us  infinitely  to  biame  if  we  do  not  :  and  infinite  blame 
defjrves  infinite  puniihir.ent  :  exactly  as  the  divine  law, 
that  perfect  rule  of  right,  has  (rated  the  cafe.  And  the 
more  difinclined  wc  be  to  love  God,  tfie  moe  aggravated 
is  our  guiit  :  and  if  our  inclination  to  love  God  with  all 
our  hearts  is  what  it  ought  to  be,  tr.erccan  be  no  difficulty 
in  the  way.  So  that  there  is  no  confident  medium  between 
atheifm    and  an   acknowledgement    that  the  divine  law  is 

■  holy,  jail  and  good,  (j) — And  further, 

(i)  If  God  is  not  an  abfolutely  perfeBt  Being,  in  himfelf-in- 

finitel  glorious  and  amiable,  the  divine  law,  which  re 
us  to  love  him  with  all  our  hearts  on  fain  of  eternal  < 
.  can  never  he  made  out  to  be  holy,jifi  and  good.  And  if  the 
law  is  not  holy,juf  and  good,  the  wifdom  of  Gcd  in  the  death 
of  vis  Son,  can  never  be  vindicated.  Toe  Gvfpel  majl  be  given 
up.  He,  then,  who  denies  the  infinite  amiablenefs  cft/.e  Deity, 
as  he  isint-imje'f,  Japs  the  whole  Scripture fcieme  attic  f&ttn- 

■  da t ion.  He  rnujl  be  an  Infidel  ;  or  if  he  pretends  to  believe 
Chnjltanity,  he  mud  hold  to  a  fc  heme  full  of  ir.ccnffierue.  We 
have  an  in  fiance  of  this  in  Mr.  Cud  worth.  He  deities  the  in- 
finite amiablenefs  of  the  De\iy,  as  he  is  inhinfcif ,*  and  main- 
tains, that  tone  is  "no  lovelinefs  conceivcab'e"  in  him,  but 
what  refits  from  his  being  our  friend.  "  difptfed  to  make  us 
happy."      When  therefore  wc  had  made  him  our  enemy  by  fin> 

he  maintains,  that  t,;ere  was  no  loveliiufs  to  be  feen  in  him. 

Tea.  that  let  our  hearts  be  ever fo  right,  it  was  "utterly  im- 
pcfible"  to  love  him  ;  even  inconfftent  with  our  original  con- 
fin  ut  ion  as  re,ifonable  creatures.      The  divine  law  furtly  then 

could  not  in  reafon  !  e  obligator*  on  a  fallen  world  :  it  became 
a  bad  law.  not  J.t  for  us  to  be  under,  as  foon  as  ever  we  broke 
it  :  Which  to  Jay,  l.e  owns,  is  fubiefive  cf  Cbrifiianiti . — 
0  '  at  then  jh  all  we  fay  ?  To  Jay  that  the  law  is  «•  Loh,  j'u/f 
C      2 


\l  A  GENERAL   VIEW  OF  THE  [sEC.  II. 

If  this  abfolutely  perfect,  infinitely  glorious  Being,  who 
is  by  nature  God.  is  the  creator  and  preferver  of  all  things ; 
if  he  brought  all  things  cut  of  noihing  into  being,  and 
holds  up  all  tilings  in  being  every  moment ;  then  all  things 
are  abfolutely  and  entirely  his,  by  an  original,  indepen- 
dent right.  And  if  all  things  are  his,  he  has  a  natural 
right -of  government  over  all.  And  it  becomes  him  to  take 
the  throne,  and  be  king  in  his  own  world.  Supreme  au- 
thority naturally  belongs  to  him — exactly  as  tne  divine 
law  fupp  )fes. 

When  therefore  he  takes  the  throne,  afiurres  the  cha- 
racter of  moral  Governor,  requires  all  the  human  race  to 
lo-ve  the  Lord  their  God  ivitb  all  their  heart,  a>.d  with  all 
their  foul,  and  with  all  their  flrength,  and  with  all  their 
mind,  on  pain  of  his  d.fpieJuie,  to  be  teftined  in  their  be- 
ing ecemally  foriuken  of  God  and  given  up  to  rum,  he 
does  what  perfectly  becomes  him.  His  conduct  is  founded 
in  the  higheft  reafm.  For  ne  is  by  nature  God,  and  the 
original  Lord  of  all  things. 

and  g<od,"  when  it  requires  of  us  what  is  "  inconfiftcnt  ivitb 
the  original  confiitutton  of  reajcnable  creatures,'  is  the  rtttift 
glaring,  jhocking  felf -contradiction.  But  into  n.is,  Mr.  Cud* 
worth  is  necej/arny  driven,  by  his  denying  Cod  to  he,  in  L:m~ 
felf,  an  infinitely  amiable  Being,  lor  if  God  is  not  a  lo-ztly 
^Ba.ig,  --when  we  have  made  him  our  enemy  by  fin  ;  yea,  if  Lis 
very  dilpltafure  againft  us  as  Sinners,  is  net  a  icvely  thing, 
he  never  can  be  laved  by  us.  If  to  hate  and  punijhfin,  is  in 
God  an  unamiable  thing,  there  is  no  beauty  at  all  in  his  charac- 
ter, as  <will  be  proved  in  the  fequel.  If  Mr.  Cud-worth  will 
re-confider  his  ownfeheme,  and  with  afedate,  impartial  mind 
look  to  the  bottom  of  things,  he  --will  find  himfelf  ebtigtd  t* 
alter  his  notion  of  God,  or  give  up  Cbnftianity  And  if  he 
jhould  grant,  that  God  is,  it  himfelf,  infinitely  amiable,  all  his 
objections  againft  my  Dialogues  muft  drop  of  ccurfe.  For  as 
foot:  as  the  Sinner**  eyes  are  in  regeneration,  opera  a  to  fee  things 
as  they  be,  Gcd  will  appear  to  be  infinitely  umiab.e.  And 
then  every  cot/'quence  will  follow,  which,  1  Jay  aces  foLcw. 
He  wasferfibli  of  this  ;  and  jo  bad  no  way  left  /  ui  to  deny, 
that  God  is.  in  him/elf,  infin.tey  amiahle  ;  in  which  he  I  as 
deftroyed  the  o>.ly  foundation  on  wuc/j  a  conjj.nt  febtme  of 
religion  can  be  built,   and  obliged  him.e'f  to  run  into  incotijji- 

ence  and  felf-  contradiction. 6>?    Mr.  Cudworttfs  Further 

Defence,  p.  221,  226. 


SEC.  II. J  OLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  I3 

And  had  all  the  human  kind,  in  mutual  love  and  perfect 
harmony  among  themielvei  (as  alfo  the  divine  i«»w 
require*  )  joined  with  one  heart  and  with  <  ne  loul, 
in  a  fupreme  love  to  the  fupreme  beauty,  and  in  ~n 
entire,  cordial,  joyful  iubjection  to  thtir  Creator  and 
fupreme  Lord,  ana  abiolutely  perfect  Sovereign  ;  ana  con- 
tinued univerfally  obedient  to  all  the  dictates  of  bis  whJ, 
which  mull  for  ever  have  been  infinitely  wile  ;  tney  might* 
as  one  united,  harmonious,  happy  family,  nave  a;* ays 
dwelt  under  the  (had  »w  of  his  wings,  enjoyed  nib  f.vour, 
his  fmilet,  his  bletfiug,  and  made  eternal  progrels  ;n  all 
divine  improvements,  rejoicing  ever  befuie  nan,  10  nis 
honour  and  infinitely  10  tneir  own  ad  Vane  ge.  And  ..ll 
this  was  but  the  very  thing  cne  divine  law  was  in  its  own 
nature  calculated  to  bring  them  to.  for  /  (  lanv  <wm  or- 
Gained  to  lift.  Whcietore  the  law  <was  hoi)  juft  una  &otd , 
and  a  glorious  exprt  dim  of  the  hohnd  ,j  ILce,  and  goud- 
nefs  of  the  divine  nature,  'he  very  in  a  ;e  of  vne  Deity. — 
And  therefore  ic  was  worthy  to  be  kept  in  honour  by  God's 
own  Son  — Befides, 

When  in  the  beginning  God  ere. ted  the  Heavens  and 
the  Earth  in  fix  days,  and  all  things  that  are  in  heaver* 
and  in  the  E&arth,  viiible  and  invisible,  whetner  they  be 
Thrones,  or  Dominions,  or  P«  inc.puii  ie-,  or  Powers,  he 
then  created  all  tilings  for  nimidf,  with  a  vi^w  to  be^in 
a  moral  kingdom,  comprehending  ;>11  i:oiy  intelligences, 
and  to  fet  up  a  moral  government  to  Lft  for  ever  ami  ever  ; 
the  welfare  of  which,  muft  confilt  in,  and  reiult  from  the 
knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  mutual  love  and  harnicny 
under  his  per  feci  governnitnt  : — 1  n.-.i  is,  in  fuch  temper*, 
employments  and  enjoyments,  as  the  divine  Lvv  was  cal- 
culated 'O  train  them  up  unto.  And  at  this  holy  kingdom 
•was  fo  large,  comprehending  all  holy  intelligence*  ;  and 
of  fuch  great  duration,  to  I  all  for  ever  and  ever;  its  inte- 
reft  and  welfare  w;.s,  ltrictly  ipe  king,  of  ii  finite  value. — 
It  was  therefore  rf  infinite  importance,  not  only  as  to  the 
honour  of  God,  but  alfo  ;is  to  the  good  of  his  great  ;.rd 
eternal  kingdom,  that  the  honour  and  authority  of  that 
law  iliould  be  naintained  invi  late,  which  fecurcd  the 
lights  and  prerogatives  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  infi- 
nitely valuable  privileges  of  all  his  lubjecls. 
*"     3 


14  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SEC.  II. 

To  break  this  law,  in  its  native  tendency,  was  to  de- 
throne  God  and  dilband  his  empire,  to  introduce  univerfal 
rebellion,  difcord,  and  ruin  inio  God's  eteiriaj  kingdom. 
And  had  the  firlt  rebel  had  iufiicu-nt  p.,wer  and  inhuencc 
on  his  fiJe.  he  would  actually  nave  dethroned  God  and 
difbaiiitd  his  empire,  introuuceu  univcrlai  rebellion,  dif- 
cord, and  ruin,  into  Goo's  eternal  k.ngdom.  Yta,  this  is 
the  native  tendency  of  every  iin,  <.nd  ine  heart  of  every 
Sinner,  as  1  have  largely  fl.ewn  in  anot.  er  place,  (i) — 
Therefore   to   crufli    iebei.ii  n —  ,o  brand   lin    with   denial 

infamy — to  eilabJilh  trie  divine  authoiit; o  maintain  the 

divine  law  in  all  us  honours,  weie  things  of  infinite  im- 
portance, not  only  to  the  honour  of  God,  but  ailo  to  the 
welfare  of  hi;  great  and  eternal  kingdom. 
,  Therefore,  when  Saisn  and  his  adheiems  full  began  re- 
bellion in  Heaven,  although  dear  tu  God  belore  their  fall, 
yet  love  to  b"ing  in  general,  love  to  God  and  to  the  cre- 
ated fyilam,  love  to  law,  to  virtue,  to  order  and  harmony, 
awakened  infinite  wrath  in  the  Almighty  again  ft  tne  rebels 
• — excommunicated  them  from  the  Church  of  the  hrlt-b^rn 
above — baniihed  them  from  that  holy  focieiy,  and  doonjed 
them  to  eternal  da<kueis  and  woe  :  that  fin  might  be  pic- 
tured in  all  its  infinite  horrors  in  the  hearts  of  all  hi:,  loyal 
fubjecls  above,  that  the  infection  might  never  fpread  in 
that  world,  but  the  horn  ur  ot  his  authority,  law  ano  go- 
vernment, be  more  firmly  eilabliftied  than  ever,  to  the 
glory  of  his  name,  and  to  the  everlalling  intereft  of  his 
great  and  eternal  kingdom  :  And  ali  Heaven  had  re^fin 
to  cry,  A 'MEN,  HALLELUJAH :  Jijl  and  ri^httcus  are 
thy  nxajs,  Lo*a  God  Almighty. 

And  if  after  this,  rebellion  breaks  out  in  another  part 
of  God's  dominions,  is  theie  lefs,  nay,  i'  theie  not  rather 
greater  reafen,  that  fin  (hould  be  equally  difcoumenanced  ? 
Or  rather,  that  fome  more  effectual  method  than  ever: 
lihould  be  entered  upon  to  eftablilh  the  divine  authority,, 
and  fecure  the  honour  of  the  divine  government  ?  Or 
mud  the  divine  law  now  be  given  up  in  favour  of  u  I  el  i 
MAN,  even  as  the  Devil  made  our  firit  Paients  believe  it 
would,  when  he  tempted  them  to  revolt,  laving,  Ye  palm 
net furely  die: — Let  us  flop  and  think  a  moment,  vvhad 
would  be  the  import  of  giving  up  the  law  in  this  cafe*. 

(i)   Sermon,  on  tie  great  evil  of  Sin, 


SEC.  II.]  GLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  15 

•  Tiie  law  fuppofed,  that  Goo  was  really  by  nature  G  d, 
an  aDioiuitJy  perfect,  .  n  infinitely  glorious  B-- ing,  as  it 
required  ua  to  conuder  and  ueat  aim  as  Inch  .  Our  revolt 
wa*  a  practical  declarative*,  thai  he  was  not  by  n-i.ure  G.  d, 
n.  r  worthy  to  be  glo  li.co  as  God.  To  give  up  the  Jaw 
in  favour  ot  bis  rebellion*,  crea-ture,  rnau  therefore  be  trie 
feme,  in  effect,  as  for  G  -u  to  give  up  hi:  own  divinity, 
ana  ungod  nimieif,  in  ,ne  iign..  01  al!  his  Dominions,  to 
gratify  a  iebel. — Again, 

Tiie  law  alio  lu^'Oied,  that  as  God  was  the  Creator, 
Loid  and  Owner  or  the  Univene,  and  by  nature  uid  ;  fo 
he  vvus  polieiieo  of  fupren»e  author  t) ,  a\i  authority  mti- 
niteiy  binding,  ano  infinitely  woithy  to  be  revered.  10 
give  up  the  1  ;w  tnerelo;e,  was  in  eticCt  the  fame,  as  to 
iciign  his  authority  in  favcui  of  l-hote,  Wfto  had  dtitiled 
it,  give  a  quit-claim  ot  ne  Univeile,  and  tolerate  a  gene- 
ral revoK.  As  if  God  ihouid  iay,  *4  1  he  L'niverie  i*  not 
mine,  i.or  ha\e  1  any  authority  Over  it  ;  Angels,  Men  and 
Devils  are  all  at  liberty  :  rl  nere  is  no  king,  ..no  lo  every 
one  may  do  what  is  ngiu  in  hi3  own  eyes."  For,  to  n.  Id 
his  authority  merely  on  tne  foot  of  the  voluntary  loy.Ty 
of  his  lubjects  ;  fo  that  whenever  any  revo.t,  ihey  are  at 
liberty  no  longer  obiigeu  to  obey  ;  to  do  this  only  in  one 
inftance,  is  in  t fleet,  to  relinquish  all  claim  to  authority 
over  any,  as  ounoed  in  his  God-head  and  Lord-lhip  ; 
which  is  in  ifFeci,  the  fan.e,  as  quit  his  ciuim  to  his  own 
divinity  and  to  his  own  world,  to  grat;fy  th>  fe  w  ho  tveaid 
giauly  ungod  him  and  dethrone  him. —  In  a  word,  for  God 
to  give  up  the  law,  which  require^  u>  10  love  i nd  obey  him 
wi.n  all  our  lit  arts,  is  praclicaiiy  to  declare  to  nis  rebellious 
creatures,  *4  Yo^r  oif.ffeCtion  to  my  character,  and  rebel- 
lion ag.iinil  m\  authority,  is  no  crime  :  for  i  am  not  wor- 
thy to  be  loved  and  obeyed  with  aii  your  hearts  :  for  1  am 
not  by  nature  God  an  absolutely  perfect,  ;-no  infinitely 
glo  ious  and  amiable  Being,  youi  Ci   a  tor,  fovereigu  Lwd 

and  King,  a^  in  mv  law  i  claimed  to  be." And, 

i'o  alter  and  rbdte  tne  law,  and  bring  it  down  to  the 
talie  and  gooo-  .king  »  f  an  p<  ftate  wild,  w  .0  were  ene- 
mies to  God  and  his  g  ivetnment,  enemies  to  the  order  and 
harm,  rv  of  the  Urn  trie,  1  uli  be  much  the  fame,  as  for 
-Goo  to  give  b  his  law  and  authority  entirely.  For  he 
jiui1  qui  his  fuprem3cy,  give  ut  tht  ri-.hs  and  honours  of 
llxc  God-head,  juftif)  then  ic;  olt,  mm  10  bt  en  Uicif  fide, 


l6  A  CPNERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SFC  IT. 

turn  enemy  to  God  and  to  his  law,  and  employ  his  infinite 
wifJom  and  aimi^hty  power,  to  promote  the  ichtrmes  tliey 
have  hid  in  conlequencc  of  their  revolt,  tehemes  fuited  to 
the  talle  of  apoltaie  creatuies :  And  thus  they  mult  bee;  me 
as  Gcd's.  as  Sut.ni  faid,  and  the  Almighty  become  their 
true  and  faithful  lervant.  For  nothing  ihort  of  this  would 
fuit  an  apoltaie  world.  But  tnis  is  ev^n  worfe  than  merely 
to  quic  his  claim  to  the  Univene,  and  refign  his  govern- 
ment over  it.  Ac.  it  would  be  bad  for  king  George  to  quit 
his  throne  for  the  PietenJer,  and  fly  his  country  ;  but  worle 
to  become  the  PreienJer's  iervant,  anu  be  obliged  to  em- 
ploy all  his  power  to  promote  the  Pretender's  intereit. 

And  ir  among  God's  revolted  fubjecls,  any  of  the  rebela 
ihoul  1  imagine  that  what  the  Devil  faid  was  true,  ye  frail 
not  jurely  die  :  If  any  mould  periuade  themielves  tiiut  it 
never  was  in  God's  heart  to  care  at  all  for  his  own  honour, 
or  for  the  honour  of  his  law  and  government,  or  to  punifh 
any  of  'is  creatures,  for  defpijing  the  Lord  and  defpifng  the 
Commandments  of -the  Lord  ;  or  ever  to  inflict  any  pain  upon 
any  of  his  fubjects,  unlels  merely  for  tneir  benefit:  in  a 
word,  if  any  Ihould  imagine,  that  it  never  was  in  God's 
heart  to  regard  or  aim  ac  any  thing  but  limply  the  good 
of  his  creatures,  be  they  virtuous  01  vicious  ;  and  believ- 
ing God  to  be  thus  altogether  according  to  their  own  hearts, 
they  are  well  plrafed  with  his  character  ;  and  (o  verily 
think  that  they  are  not  enemies  to  God  in  a  ftateor  rebel- 
lion, worthy  of  eternal  death:  and  confequently  that  they 
do  not  need  a  pardon,  much  le!s  an  atonement  of  infinite 
value  to  procure  a  pardon.  All  this  is  fo  fir  from  argu- 
ing an  atonement  to  be  netdlefs,  that  it  rather  ftrves  to 
dilcover  the  abfolute  necefiity  of  one;  that  God  night 
give  no  occafion  for  thele  fal.e  ani  bialphen  ous  r  <  tions 
of  Him  and  his  government,  uruveilally  to  prevail,  inh\- 
ni'ely  to  the  dilhonour  of  God,  and  entirely  to  the  fubver* 
firm  of  his  authority,  while  he  is  on  uehgns  of  n.ejcy 
towards  a  fallen  world. 

Ir  is  manif  ft  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  divine  con- 
duel  from  the  found:,  tion  of  the  world  thai  he  looked  u;  on 
it.  as  of  the  hig-faett  importance  'hat  the  intellectual  f\ft*m 
jfhctild  kn<  w  that  the  Dejty  is  infii  i'tly  worthy  of  (up  five 
love  and  univerfhl  obedience,  and  thai  .he  evil  of  oil- tac- 
tion and  rebellion  againtt  the  ci i \  t»  =  e  maj»Pv  is  i,.t  r'r.ely 
gicut,  and  worthy  of  aa  in  urate  puhiihiutu;  :   at>  he  is  in 


SEC.  II.]  GLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  IJ 

fatt  by  nature  God.  and  Lord  fupreme,  It  therefore  ap- 
peared in  the  eyes  of  God  a  glorious  aft,  and  infinitely 
becoming  the  wife  Father  of  the  Univerie,  originally  to 
fufpend  the  everlarting  welfare  of  his  new-made,  ii.n  -cent 
creatures,  on  condition  of  their  fupreme  love  to  the  Deity, 
to  be  manifefted  by  a  univerfil  obedience  to  his  will.  And 
he  judged  it  wife  an  1  righteous  in  him,  as  moral  Governor 
of  the  world,  to  baniih  the  fiift  rebels  from  his  presence 
into  everlaftmg  drftruction.  And  in  his  eyes  it  was  a  moll 
glorious  difplay  of  ail  his  perfections,  when  Man  hid  fillen 
not  to  pardon  one  of  all  the  race  without  a  Mediator  of 
infinite  dignity,  and  an  atonement  of  infinite  value:  nay, 
rather  to  part  with,  his  own  Son  from  his  bofom,  and  deli- 
ver him  up  to  bear  the  curie  in  our  Head,  and  fet  him  for.h 
to  be  a  propitiation  to  declare  his  righteoufnefs.  and  let  the 
wnole  fyltern  fee  his  fuU  refolution  topunifhfin,  andmainrain 
the  honour  of  his  law  and  government. — .And  in  this  view, 
Cbnji  crucified  is  the  -ivi/dom  of  God :  a  moit  glorious  means 
to  accompliih  the  moit  glorious  ends.  And  in  this  prima- 
rily confifts,  the  glory  of  the  glorious  GofpH  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

It  was  a  glorious  difplay  of  the  hoiinefs  of  the  great 
Governor  of  the  world,  to  appoint  his  own  Son  to  die  a 
facrifice  of  atonement,  as  hereby  his  infinite  regard  to  his 
own  honour,  and  infinice  hatred  of  fin,  was  fet  in  the 
itrongeft  light. 

And  it  was  a  glorious  difplay  of  the  divine  juftice,  as 
hereby  it  appeared,  that  he  was  unchangeably  determined 
to  puniili  fin  according  to  its  defert,  and  execute  the  curfe 
of  his  righteous  law,  although  his  own  dear  Son,  ftanding 
in  the  room  of  a  guilty  world,  was  the  perfon  to  be  made 
a  curfe. 

And  it  was  a  glorious  difplay  of  divine  goodnefs  ;  for  if 
the  divine  law  was  foholy,  juft  and  good, To  exactly  in  the 
image  of  the  D-ity,  as  to  be  worthy  of  all  this  honour  ; 
then,  to  a  demonftration,  God  was  wholly  right,  and  our 
difafftction  and  rebellion  entirely  groundlefs,  yea,  infi- 
nitely criminal.  And  therefore  mankind  were  not  nitied 
as  having  been  too  feverely  dealt  with.  And  while  the 
death  of  Chrift  declares  the  juftice  of  the  law,  and  the  righ- 
teoufnefs  of  God  in  our  condemnation,  the  gifc  of  Chi  id 
to  die  in  ourlbad,  appears  to  bean  act  of  grace,  infinitely 
great,  and  abfolutely  free. 

And  while  the  Son  of  God  ftands  cloathed  in  human 


l8  A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  THE  [SEC.  II. 

nature,  and  voluntarily  appears  as  our  reprefer.tative,  to 
die  in  our  Head,  as  our  fecund  Adam,  God  appears  to  be  a 
God  of  truth.  For  the  criminal  dies  virtually  in  his  furety. 
And  thus  the  law  is  honoured,  fin  difcounten..nced,  the 
Sinner  laved,  grace  glorified,  and  Satan  difappointed,  all 
at  once.  And  thus  all  the  divine  perfections  are  uifpiayed 
on  the  crofs  of  (Jhrilt.  And  thus  the  Gofpel  is  a  glorious 
Gofpel.  But  ali  this,  only  on  fuppofuion  the  law  was  a 
glorious  lau  — For, 

Let  it  orce  be  fuppofed,  that  the  divine  law,  which  re- 
quired iinlefs  perfection  on  p.jin  of  tternal  damnation  of  all 
mankind,  is  in  its  own  nature  too  fevere,  and  it  will  inevi- 
tably follow,  (Heaven  forbid  the  blafphemy)  that  Chrift  in 
bearing  the  curie  of  ths  l.;w  in  our  ftead,  diea  a  iacrifice 
to  tyr  nny.  And  fo  the  Gofpel  inftead  of  being  a  glorious 
Gofpel,  a  glorious  difplay  of  ;he  wifdom,  hclineis,  juftice 
and  goodnefs  of  the  divine  natuie,  exhibits  to  view,  the 
r  ( \}  (hocking  fcene,  chat  can  poflibly  be  conceived  of  : 
Foolifhnefs  in  ihe  abftraft. 

P-ut  if  the  law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  glorious  and 
amiabie,  and  worthy  to  be  fo  magnified  and  made  ho- 
nour, ble,  and  if  the  law  be  thus  viewed  and  confidered.; 
at  once  the  atonement  of  Chrift  becomes  the  wifdom  of 
God  and  the  power  of  God,  the  wifeft  and  the  moft  effec- 
tual method  to  anlwcr  i he  moft  glorious  ends.  And  thus 
the  crofs  of  Chrift  will  appear  foclijhnefs  or  wifdom,  accor- 
ding to  the  light  in  which  we  view  it.  As  it  is  written, 
(i  Cor.  i.  23.  24)  We  preach  Chrift  crucified,  unto  the  Jews 
a  fumbling  block,  a;:d  unto  the  Greeks  foolijhnefs :  But  unto 
them  which  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Chrif  the 
power  cf  God,  and  the  wifdom  of  God. 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  general  view  of  the  Nature  and 
Glory  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift.  And  the  way  being 
thus  prepared,  we  proceed  to  t;  ke  things  into  a  more  par- 
ticular coniiJera'ion  in  the  following  Sections. 


SEC.  J1I.J  THE  DIVINE  LAW,    &C.  19 


SECTION    III. 

The  Divine  Law  Holy,  Juft  and  Good,  a  glorious  law 
antecedent  to  a  ccnjideiation  of  the  gift  of  Cbrift,  and 
the  work  of  Redemption  by  him. 

IF  the  moral  character  of  the  Deity,  which  confifls  in 
holinefs,  juilice  and  goodnels,  is  glorious  and  amiable  ; 
and  if  the  divine  law  is  after  his  own  image,  a  tranfcript 
of  his  nature,  holy,  juft  and  good,  it  muft  be  glorious  and 
amiable  too  :  And  that  the  divine  law  is  hoiv,  juit  and 
good,  the  Apoille  Paul  exprcflly  affirms,  in  tne  fever,  th 
chapter  of  hi-  Epiftle  to  the  Romans,  ver    12. 

\Vouid  we  know  what  law  the  Apofcle  fpeaks  of  in  that 
verfe,  let  us  read  through  that  Epiftle,  and  his  Epiille  to 
the  Galatians,  in  which  he  is  fpeaking  of  the  fame  law  ; 
and  we  (hall  find  thefe  things  faid  of  it.  It  is  that  law 
which  the  Jews  had  written  in  a  book,  and  the  Gentiles 
written  in  their  conference;.  It  revealed  the  wrath  of  God 
from  Heaven  ogair.Jl  all  ungodlinrfs  and  m.rigl.teoujnejs  rf 
Men.  By  this  law  is  the  knowledge  cf  Jin.  It  requires  us 
to  continue  in  all  tki.gs  in  it  to  do  them.  It  piomiles,  that 
the  Man  that  doth  the  things  contained  in  it  Jhall  live.  But 
curfes  every  one  that  continue:!?  not  in  all  things.  And  i.c- 
cording  to  it,  boio  jews  cad  Creeks  are  under  Jin  :  ev^ry 
mouth  is  flapped,  and  the  whole  world  ft  and  guilty  b  fore  God. 
Each  one  witi.cut  excuje.  Rom.  i.  18  21.  Chap.  ii.  14. 
Chap.  iii.  9,  20.  Cnap.  \ii.  7,  12.  Chap  x.  5  Gil.  iii. 
10,  12.  And  from  the  whole  temir  of  divine  Revelation, 
we  learn,  that  it  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all  our  heart, 
and  yield  a  perfect  and  pe; fevering  obedience  to  his  will  on 
pain  of  eternal  death 

That  this  law,  with  refpecl  to  mankind  in  their  prefent 
ftate,  is  holy,  juft.  and  good,  antecedent  to  a  cor.  fide  rat  ion 
of  the  gift  of  Cnri.l  and  th.'  work  of  redemption  by  him, 
is  certain  from  two  indifput,  b  c  fidls. 

Firft  pact — Th:it  all  minkind,  in  their  natural  itate, 
are  by  God,  the  ju'dge  of  all  »he  Ea:th  c  nfidered  as  un- 
der it,  and  held  bcund  by  it.    That  this  is  the  cafe,  is  plain  ; 


20  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [SEC.  III. 

For,  we  cannot  be  guilty  before  God  for  the  breach  of  a 
law,  which  in  his  fight  we  are  not  under  :  But  for  the  bi  each 
of  this  law,  the  whole  world  Hand  guilty  before  God  : 
theieibre  the  whole  world  in  the  fight  of  God  are  under 
the  law.  Rom.  iii.  19 — No  man  can  be  entitled  to  life  by 
obeying  a  law  which  he  is  not  under :  But  whofoever  obeys 
this  law  15  expreflly  entitled  to  life  :  therefore  every  man 
is  under  it.  Rom.  x.  5 — No  man  is  liable  in  the  light  of 
God  to  the  curie  or  penalty  of  a  law  which  he  is  not  held 
bound  by  :  But  God  declares,  that  every  Chriitlels  Sinner 
is  actually  ui  der  the  curfe  of  the  law:  iherefore  every 
Chrifhefs  Sirner  is  held  bound  by  it.  Gal.  iii.  10.  Joh. 
iii.  18,  36. — Thus  the  f.ct  is  plain,  that  all  mankind,  in 
their  natural  ftate,  are,  by  God,  the  judge  of  ali  the  Eanh, 
confidered  as  under  it,  and  held  bound  by  it.  But  from 
the  abiblute  perfection  of  the  divine  nature  we  may  be  cer- 
tain, that  the  judge  of  all  the  Earth  cannot  but  do  right. 
It  is  inconfiftent  with  ihe  holinefs,  jultice  and  goodneis  of 
his  natu:e,  and  therefore  morally  impcflible  he  fhould  held 
his  creatures  bound  by  a  law,  unleis  it  were  holy,  jult  and 
good.     This  1  w  is  therefore  holy,  Jul'  and  good. 

Second  fact — That  God  has  given  his  own  Son,  to  be 
made  a  curie,  jo  redeem  u;-  f  om  ihe  curfe  of  this  law.  But 
it  had  been  inconfilKnt  with  every  one  of  the  divine  per- 
fections, to  have  \  iven  his  Son  to  be  made  a  curfe,  to  re- 
deem us  from  the  curfe  of  a  law.  which  in  juilice  we  could 
not  have  been  h  Id  bound  bv,   ifChrift  had  never  died. 

Whoever  will  rhii  k.  •  f  mi-,  at  d  thorough')'  w  eigh  it  in 
his  mind,  will  f  el  bimfelf  (  bliged,  ei  her  ro  acknowledge 
the  law  to  be  holy  j  ft  and  good,  an:e<  edent  10  a  cc  nlide- 
ration  of  he  gift  H  Chrift  ;  or  to  give  up  law  and  Goipel 
both  together  :  Fo;  G  6\-  giving  hi:.  Son  to  die.  to  redeem 
us  from  ihe  cure  of  [he  law,  is  th<  greatefl  proof  of  its 
goodneff,  whicn  could  j  <  fliblv  have  been  v'iven  by  the  Fa- 
ther or  Son.  '  he  f- ct  mult  be  denied,  t ho  re f' re.  or  the 
confeqnence  null  be  granted.  We  mufl  fay,  that  Chr  ft 
was  n  t  ma  e  a  cu rje,  t<  re<  e  n>  v*  f.om  the  curie  of  the 
law,  or  ue  null  y  ant  the  law  w  s  good  ;  for  to  f  y,  hat 
God  the  father  ga\e  hi*  Son,  to  re  nacie  a  curfe,  to  r*  de<  m 
us  from  the  curfe  ot  a  b  d  law,  is  uorfe  than  Jnhde  ity  ; 
nav,  worfe  than  d  up-ru  hi  .4  heifm  .  FV.r  to  believe  that 
God  is  an  Almip  t\  t_\  r.-rr  that  »  >  v\d  put  his  creatures 
under  an  unrighteous  law,   aud  then  appoint  his  Son  to 


?EC.  III.]  HOLY,    JUST    AND  GOOD. 

bear  its  curie  in  their  room,  is  worfe  than  to  believe  there 
is  no  God  at  all. —  The  goodnefs  or  the  divine  law  mult  be 
granted  therefore,  or  we  lliali  find  no  where  to  Hop  on  thii 
iide  infidelity. — But  I  mean,  at  prefent,  to  reaion  oniy 
with  thole  wno  grant  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of 
God.  And  to  thde,  I  prelume,  the  argument  rr.uft  be 
conclusive. — But, 

I.  if  the  divine  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  antecedent 
to  a  conrideration  of  the  gift  of  Cnriil  and  work  of  redemp- 
tion by  him  ;  then  tne  divine  law  is  a  glorious  and  a.niabie 
law,  antecedent  to  a  confederation  of  the  gift  of  Chriil, 
and  work  of  redemption  by  him.  For,  if  holinefs,  julticc 
and  goodneis,  are  glorious  and  amiable  attributes,  as  they 
are  in  Gad,  tiic  original;  then  they  are  glorious  an  J  ami- 
able attributes,  as  they  are  in  the  a; vine  law,  which  is  his 
imige,  and  a  tranfeript  of  his  nature.  If  the  original  is 
lovely,  the  image  is  lovely  aifo.  To  lay  otherwife,  plainly 
implies  a  contradiction.  Bendes,  if  hoiinefs,  juftice  and 
goodnefs,  ae  not  glorious  and  amiable  properties,  then 
God  him felf  is  not  a  glorious  and  amiable  Being.  And 
if  God  is  not  a  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  he  ought  not 
to  be  viewed  and  loved  as  fuch.  Wnich  to  fay,  is  to  over- 
throw N-itural  and  llevealed  R:ligion  both  at  once.  'I 
is  no  conultent  medium  therefore,  between  renouncing 
all  religion,  and  granting  the  duine  law  to  be  glorious 
and  amiable,  antecedent  to  a  consideration  of  the  gift  of 
Cnrift,  and  work  of  redemption  by  him  But, 

J[.  If  the  divine  law  is  a  holy,  ju.r,  j^ood,  and  glorious 
law,  antecedent  to  a  conliderati  jn  of  the  gift  of  Cnrift  ; 
then  it  muit  of  necefiiry  appear  fuch,  to  every  one  whcie 
eyes  are  opened,  to  fee  it  as  it  is.  That  is,  to  every  one, 
thdt  is  not  fpiritually  blind.  For,  if  it  it,  in  fact,  a  glori- 
ous law,  in  itfeif  ;  it  mult  appear  fo  to  every  one,  who 
fees  it,  as  it  is  ;  and  it  muit  begin  to  appear  ;o,  as  foon  as 
it  begins  to  be  feen  as  it  is.  And  he  that  does  not  fo 
much  as  bevin  to  fee  the  divine  law  as  it  is,  is  evidently 
altogether  fpiritually  blind.  God  h  is  rot  as  yet  begun  to 
open  >.is  eyes,  but  the  vail  is  fliil  all  over  his  heart ;  and  en- 
mity to  God,  and  his  law,  has  full  pcfitflLn  of  his  foul.(i) 

(i)  Thefe  four  toints  muji  be  ivftfted  on. — Fir/?,  That  the 
diiifte  law  is  i.oly,  JlJJ?,    good,   and  glorious,    antecedent  to  a 

D 


22  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [SEC.  lit. 

To  fay,  (i  That  it  is  impolfible  the  law  mould  appear 
glorious  to  me,  before  I  believe  myfelf  delivered  from  its 
cure,"  is  either  tu  fay,  that  tae  law,  antecedent  to  a  con- 
fi deration  of  the  gift  of  Cmift,  was  not  a  glorious  law  : 
or  elfe,  that  a  man  whofe  eyes  t  re  opened,  cannot  pMlibly 
fee  it  to  be  what  it  is.  But  if  it  was  not  a  glorious  law, 
antecedent  to  a  confideraiion  of  the  gift  of  Ch rift,  it  \o  cer- 
tain Chrilt  never  would  have  been  given,  to  redeem  us 
from  its  curie.  And  if  men  do  not  lee  it  to  be  whit  it  is, 
it  is  certain  they  are  b:ind  :  for  this  is  the  very  thing  that 
is  meant  by  blind'ief>  in  this  cafe. 

!  m  truth  is,  thofe  who  view  the  law  as  being  glorious, 
only  under  tuc  notion,  thty  are,  or  lhalibe  delivered  from 
its  curie,  are  as  blind  to  its  real  beauty,  as  the  moil  ftupid 
Sinner  in  the  world.  It  is  jult  as  if  a  man  mould  pretend 
to  love  a  tyrant,  merely  becaufe  he  is  dead.  And  although 
they  may  be  ravilhed  to  think  Chrift  died  for  them,  yet 
the  real  pa-port  of  hh  death,  never  once  came  into  their 
view.     And  find  the  law  in  reality,  been  no  oiherwiie  than 

confederation  of  the  gift  of  drift.  2nd.  That  it  is  feen  to  be 
fuch  by  even  enlightened  foul.  ^d.  That  in  this  view  Chrift 
crucified,  is  feen  to  be  the  wifdom  of  God.  \th.  That  witb- 
tut  this  view,  the  wfdom  of  God  in  the  death  af  his  Sen, 
cannot  be  feen.  But  wt.eti.er  the  glory  of  the  law  is  feen,  in 
erder  of  time,  be  fere  the  glery  of  the  atonement,  need  not  be 
inftftcd  on.  If  things  are  fen  in  their  true  nature,  and  in 
their  true  arrangement,  it  matters  net,  whether  thty  come  into 
Vtepu  gradually  or  ir.ftantanea.fty.  Tiey  may  in  fome  irftan- 
ces,  come  into  view  gradually,  and  very  diftinhly  ;  and  in 
fome,  as  it  were ,  inft ant anecujlv ,  and  lefs  diftindly.  Some  may 
hi.-ve  a  greater  degree  of  Jpiri/ual  light  at  frft ,  and  (t  hers  a 
lejs  degree.  Some  may  have  a  diftincl  remembrance  of  their 
'views  and  txercijes,  and  others  not.  It  matters  not  as  to  thefe 
things,  if  men  do  but  know,  and  love,  and  obey  the  truth  in 
ftnctrity,  they  are  Cbriftians. — But  if  the  truth  is  hated  and 
oppofed,  and  errors  Jul  ft  i  luted  in  its  room  ;  if  the  divine  law 
be  denied  to  be  glorious  ;  if  it  f  Us  me  with  hatred  and  heart 
rifing  i  f  my  heart  rifings  are  al' a) ed  merely  in  a  belief  that 
1  am  delivered  from  the  ewfe  ;  if  this  belief  is  the  only  ground 
of m;  Ic  ve  and  joy,  and  of  all  my  religion  i  I  am  not  a  Chrif- 
tian  ;  I  am  an  Antinomian  i  an  enemy  to  the  divine  law9 
and  to  the  crrf  of  Chrift. 


3JEC.  III.]  HOLT,    JUST  AND    GOOB.  £5 

it  appears  to  them,  Chriil  never  had  died  to  redeem  any 
man  from  its  curie.  For  had  it  not  been  good  and  glori- 
ous, antecedent  to  his  interpofition,  he  never  would  have 
interpofed.  For  he  did  nut  die,  becaufe  the  law  was  bad, 
to  relcue  us  from  its  unrighteous  curfe,  and  pacify  our  an- 
gry minds  :  But  he  died  becaufe  it  was  good,  to  do  it 
honour, and anfvver  its  demands  in  our  ftead,  to  the  end,  th  il 
;God,  confidently  with  his  honour,  might  by  his  holy  fpi- 
rit,  take  the  vail  from  our  hearts  and  bring  us  to  fee  the 
glory  of  his  law,  and  heartily  repent  of  all  our  hard 
thoughts  of  God  and  of  his  government,  and  in  this  way 
be  forgiven  fimply  on  Chrift's  account,  and  through  Faith 
in  his  blood.  And  this  is  that  repentance  toward  Gcd,  and 
Faith  toward  our  Lad  Jefus  Cbrijl,  wnich  S^int  Paul 
preached  to  the  world. 

He  who  never  viewed  the  divine  law  as  glorious  and 
v/orthy  to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable,  never  once 
underitood  the  dehVn  of  Chriit's  mediation,  or  the  purport 
of  his  death,  or  the  nature  of  his  righteoufnefs  and  atcno- 
iinent,  or  faw  the  glory  of  the  Gofpel,  or  indeed  truly 
knows  any  thing  about  the  way  of  falvation  through  hvs 
blood  ;  as  will  be  proved  in  the  fequel. 

Ohjeci.  "  To  view  the  law  as  glorious,  antecedents  a 
-confideration  of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel,  implies,  that  it 
appears  a  glorious  thing  in  God  to  punim  fin  according 
to  its  defert,  with  application  to  myfelf  :  But. this  is  in- 
confident  with  that  principle  of  felf- preservation  originally 
implanted  in  human  nature  when  innocent  :  and  fo  in 
its  own  nature  is  impcfiible.  And  therefore,  cannot  be  a 
duty.  And  therefore,  to  be  blind  to  the  beauty  cf  the  di- 
vine law,  thus  viewed,  cannot  be  of  a  criminal  nature. — 
Nor  can  1  be  obliged  to  look  upon  the  law,  as  glorious, 
only  in  confequence  of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel." 

A'if-w.  1.  This  objection,  if  there  be  any  weight  in  it, 
is  fubverfive  of  all  religion,  natural  and  revealed,  in  Hea- 
ven and  on  Earth.  For  a  difpofition  to  punim  fin  accord- 
ing to  its  defert,  is  an  eflential  part  of  that  character  of 
God,  which  is  exhibited  in  Law  and  Gofpel,  and  in  the 
whole  cf  the  divine  conduct,  from  the  expulfion  cf  the 
finning  Angels  out  of  Heaven,  down  to  the  laft  fentence 
which  will  be  pronounced  on  the  wicked  at  the  day  of 
Judgment.     And  if,  with  application  to  myfelf,  this  char- 

D    2 


24  THE   DIVINE   LAV,  fSEC.  III. 

after  does  not  appear  glorious,  for  the  very  fame  reafon 
it  cannot  appear  glorious  to  me,  with  application  to  any 
other  being,  if  my  heart  is  as  it  ought  to  be.  For  I  ought 
to  love  my  neighbour  as  mylelf.  And  my  neighbour's 
happinefs  ib  worth  as  much  as  n  y  own,  and  his  eternal 
ry  ;is  dreadful  a  thing  as  mine  would  be.  Therefore, 
if  :t  is  inconfiftent  with  that  love  I  owe  to  myferf,  to  view 
divine  law  as.  glorious,  antecedent  to  a  coni-dcration 
^c  of  the  Gofpel,  it  ir-  alfo  incorfillcnt  with  that 
love  1  owe  to  my  tn-ighbour.  The  moment,  therefore,  the 
g  Angels  were  doomed  to  eternal  mifery,  it  behoved 
c  world,  on  this  hypothecs,  to  revolt.  Nor 
g  ever  reconcile  them  to  the  Deity,  but  his 
delivering  Satan  and  Lis  afTociates  from  the  cu.-fe.  And 
the  moment  God  told  Adam  he  mould  die  if  he  finned, 
it  behoved  him  to  look  upon  Gcd  as  an  hateful  Being,  for 
making  fuch  an  unmerciful  law.  And  had  he  been  of  the 
fame  temper  we  are  naturally  of,  it  wcnld  have  apreared 
to  him  in  p.  fiule  to  love  that  character  of  the  Deity, 
which  was  exhibited  to  his  view  in  this  law.  And  unkfs 
God  d(  es,  after  the  day  of  Judgment,  reverfe  the  final 
fentence,  depart  ye  curfed  into  everlafiitig  fire,  it  will  behove 
Angels  and  Saints,  who  ought  to  love  rheir  neighbours  as 
themfelvcs,  for  ever  to  lock  upon  Gcd,  as  an  hateful  Be- 
ing, while  they  view  the  damned,  their  fellow-creatures, 
tormented  by  him  in  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimftcne.  for 
ever  and  ever.  If  therefore,  all  Beings  in  the  intellectual 
fyftem  felt,  as  the  cbjeclor  appears  to  do,  all  would  join 
with  him  in  enmity  to  the  Divine  character,  through  Hea- 
ven, Earth,  and  Hell. 

To  fay  in  this  cafe,  fC  If  I  am  elected,  redeemed,  par- 
doned, and  finally  made  eternally  happy,  lean  love  God, 
although  others  ?re  damned,  who  d^lerve  it  no  more  than 
1  do," — is  to  declare,  "  that  although  I  hate  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Deity,  and  care  not  what  becomes  of  my  fellow 
creatures  yet  as  I  love  mylelf,  if  I  am  happy,  I  am  con- 
tent." Which  is  really  to  declare  myfelf  defcitute  of  all 
god li nets  and  humanity,  and  under  the  entire  government 
of  fclf- love.— -But, 

2.  The  objection  is  founded  on  an  hypothecs  which  is 
contrary  to  plain  fact,  viz,  that  it  is  inconfiftent  with  that 
love  which  created  Intelligences  owe  to  themfelves,  to 
view  it  as  a  glorious  thing  in  God  to  puniih  fin  according 


"SEC.  III.]  HOLY,    JUST  AND  GOOD.  25 

to  its  defert — For,  (i(l)  it,  in  fact,  appeared  a  glorious 
thing  in  God,  to  pumili  I'm  according  to  its  defert,  to  the 
Angels  that  ltocd,  that  very  moment  Satan  was  driven  out 
of  Heaven  down  into  an  etcrral  Hell,  and  that  with  ap- 
plication to  themfelves.  For  there  was  not  one  of  them 
but  wai  ready  to  fay  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  (t  It  is 
a  glorious  act  in  God  to  punHhthofe  rebels  as  he  has  done." 
And  it  would  have  been  as  glorious  an  art  in  God  to  have 
punifhed  me  in  like  fort,  had  1  joined  in  their  rebellion. 
(2d)  It,  in  fact  appeared  to  Adam,  before  the  grace  of  ihe 
Gofpel  was  revealed,  that  it  would  be  a  glorious  thing  in 
God  to  punifli  him  according  to  law,  if  he  mould  fin.  For 
othcrwife  the  character  of  GoA  exhibited  to  his  view  in 
the  law  he  was  under,  had  not  appeared  glorious  in  his 
eyes.  (3d)  It  will,  in  fid,  appear  at  the  day  of  Judgment, 
a  glorious  thing  in  God  to  punifli  the  wicked  according  to 
their  defert,  to  all  h  ly  beings,  and  that  in  perfect  confid- 
ence with  the  higheft  exerciies  of  the  purell  benevolence. 
— -Befides, 

3.  If  it  is  not  a  glorious  thing  in  God  to  punifli  fin  ac- 
cording to  its  defert,  there  is  no  glory  in  the  crofs  of  Chi  hi, 
in  which  fin  was  punimrd  according  to  its  defert,  in  the 
Sinner's  reprefentative,  the  3on  of  God  incarnate. — Nay, 

4.  If  the  law  doss  not  appear  glorious,  antecedent  to  a 
confideration  of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel,  the  gr..ce  of  the 
Gcfpel  cannot  be  feen.  For  the  relief  granted  to  us  in  the 
Gofpel  is  of  grace,  of  meer  pure  grace,  fimply  on  this 
ground,  that  the  divine  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  a 
rious  1  iw  in  itfeJf.  For  had  i:  not  been  fuch,G:d  ha  J  I 
obliged  in  juft  ice  to  have  granted  us  feme  relief. — Br  fides, 

5.  Let  a  Man,  blind  to  the  glory  of  the  law,  be  ever 
fo  fully  affured  in  his  own  mind,  that  he  is  delivered  from 
the  curfe,  although  it  may  allay  hi:,  heart  rifmgs,  becaufe 
he  is  fafe  himfelf,  and  becaufe  he  cares  little  what  becomes 
of  others,  yet  it  has  in  its  own  nature,  not  the  leaft  ten- 
dency to  reconcile  him  to  tiie  divine  law,  or  to  the  divine 
character  therein  exhibited.  If  God's  pardoning  my  Sins 
were  the  grounds  of  the  law's  loveiinefs,  then  a  belief  of 
pardon  might  co  .vince  me  of  the  lovelinefs  of  the  law. 
Eut  the  law  is  as  lovely  if  I  am  punifhed,  as  if  I  am  par- 
doned ;  for  it  is,  what  it  is.  And  granting  pardon  cannot 
render  a  bad  law,  good  ;  belief  of  pardon,  therefore,  orl^ 

D    3 


26  THE  DIVINE  LAW  fsEC.  ITI. 

pacifies  the  angry  mind  of  a  guilty  Sinner,  but  has  no 
tendency  to  convince  him  that  the  Jaw  is  in  itfelf  good  ; 
witnefs  the  Fharafces  in  our  Saviour's  day,  who  notwiths- 
tanding their  aflurance  of  Heaven,  were  moll  inveterate 
enemies  to  the  divine  character  exhibited  in  the  law, 
which  clur^cler  was  exemplified  in  the  life  of  Chrift.  They 
have  both  fen  and  hated  both  me  a?;d  my  Father.  Joh.  xv. 
24.  Witnefs,  alio  all  open  profrifed  Antincmians,  of  the 
tlevouteft  fort,  who  profefs  the  aflurance  of  the  love  of 
God,  and  at  the  fame  time  appear  the  moft  avowed  ene- 
mies to  the  divine  law.  Nay,  an  affurar.ee  of  pardon  in 
this  cafe,  always  confirms  the  native  enmity  of  the  heart 
to  the  divine  law,  as  is  plain  from  this  :  Let  one  of  thefe 
people  be  convinced,  they  are  in  an  unpardoned  flate,  and 
be  awakened  to  fome  fenfe  of  the  cl read fulr. el's  of  eternal 
damnation  ;  and  their  difpofiticn  to  murmur  and  blafpheme, 
will  be  great  in  proportion  to  the  greatnefs  of  their  former 
confidence.  Thus  the  Ifraelites,  who,  after  the  giving  of 
the  law,  letting  up  the  tabernacle,  and  approaching  to  the 
borders  of  the  promifed  Land,  had  their  confidence  of  ar- 
riving there  railed  to  its  greateft  height,  now  were  pre- 
pared on  their  difappointment,  when  the  fpies  returned, 
to  feel  worfe  toward  God,  than  ever  they  had  done  be- 
fore.— Befides, 

6.  If  inftead  of  its  being  owing  to  the  badnefs  of  our 
hearts,  it  is  in  the  nature  of  things,  impoflible  that  the  law 
fliould  app:-ar  glorious,  and  the  divine  character  therein 
exhibited,  antecedent  to  a  confederation  of  the  grace  of 
the  Goh:  1,  then  contrary  to  the  exprefs  words  of  the  Apof- 
tle,  the  Gentiles,  who  never  heard  of  the  Gofpel,  are  kot 
without  excufe,  in  their  want  of  conformity  to  the  divine 
law,  in  their  ungodlinefs,  in  their  rot  glorifying  God  as  God. 
Rom.  i.  18,  21.  For  they  have  a  very  good  plea  to  make 
for  themfclvcs;  an  excufe  that  will  fully  juftify  them.  For 
ac  the  objeftor  rightly  luppofes,  that  kind  of  impofllbility, 
which  is  owing  to  nothing  bad  in  us,  takes  away  all  blame. 
Tnerefore,  every  mouth  is  not  (lopped,  neither  doth  the 
nvbole  world  jland  guilty  before  Gcd,  as  to  this  particular. 
And  thereupon,  St.  Paul's  Gofpel,  which  is  built  en  this 
fbu  idation  is  overthrown,  if  this  objection  is  allowed  to  be 
of  weight — And  what  is  here  faid  of  the  Gentiles,  may 
be  equally  faid  of  every  impenitent  Sinner,  who  as  yet 
ifciows  not  that  he  fhalj  be  ever  the  better  for  the  grace  of 


"SEC.  III.]  HOLY,    JUST  AND  GOOD.  27 

the  Gofpel,  in  the  world  to  come.  According  to  the  ob- 
jection, it  is  impoflible,  and  therefore  it  is  not  the  duty  of 
fuch  to  love  God;  and  their  not  loving  him  is  no  crime; 
and  fo  Chrift  did  not  die  to  make  aioiiement  in  this  cafe, 
nor  are  we  to  repent,  or  to  afk  God  to  forgive  us.  All 
this  will  follow,  if  it  be  no  crime  for  a  Sinner  not  to  love 
God  and  his  law,  while  as  yet  he  knows  not  but  that  he 
fhall  perifh  forever,  (i)- — Ani 

7.  If  we  are  juftifiable  in  our  native  diflike  to  God's 
law,  if  we  are  not  to  blame  for  being  enemies  to  the  di- 
vine character  therein  exhibited,  then  to  be  reconciled  to 
this  character  of  God,  is  no  man's  duty,  and  fo  is  no  part 
of  religion.  A  man  may  be  a  good  man ,  and  yet  an  enemy 
to  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law. — 
Yea,  perfectly  holy,  while  he  perfectly  hates  it.  And  fo 
regeneration  becomes  a  needleis  thing.  For  there  is  no 
need  of  a  new,  divine,  fpiritual  principle  to  be  begotten 
in  us,  to  enable  us  to  love  God  fimply  under  the  notion  of 
a  benefactor.  For  it  was  our  Saviour's  maxim  that  Sinners 
love  tbofe  that  love  them.  If  the  divine  character  as  exhi- 
bited in  the  divine  law  is  not  to  be  loved,  there  is  nothing 
in  revealed  religion  but  what  we  can  love,    without  any 

(1)  To  avoid  tbefe  confluences  a  late  author,  wl§  affirms 
that  the  divine  lavj  requires  nub  at  is  "  utterly  impcffiible"— 
Yea,  vu bat  implies  "  lore  to  our  ovon  eternal  deftruelion"  and 
fo  is  "  inconfijler.t  v:ith  our  duty,  contrary  to  our  original  con- 
ft 'it ut ion,  and  to  the  lavu  of  God."  Yet  at  the  jame  time, 
maintains  that  this  very  la-tv  is  "  holy,juJl  and  good,"  bind- 
ing en  all  Mankind.  By  holy,  juji  and  good,  he  ferns  to  mean 
precifely  the  Jams  thing,  that  other  people  do  by  unholy,  unjuft 
and  cruel ;  and  accordingly  he  affirms,  that  <l  no  lovelmefs 
conceivable,"  can  be  difcerned in  that  character  cf  tie  Deity, 
which  is  exhibited  in  his  laiv,  and  that  it  is  "  utterly  imtof- 
fible'n  to  love  it. — Hovcever  he  alfo  affirms,  that  all  Mankind 
"  ought  to  love  it,  and  are  felf-ccndetnned  if  they  do  nst."  And 
that  al though  it  is  net  oaving  to  the  badv.efs  in  our  hearts  ti  at 
vce  do  not  j  yea,  although  it  is  in  its  own  nature,  "  utterly 
impcffille,  inconftjlent  aiith  our  duty  of  felf- f refer vat icn  and 
love  to  curfelves"  and  Jo  in  its  cvun  nature,  "  contrary  tj  our 
•original  corftituiion,  and  to  the  lavj  of  God" — A  remarkable 
febeme  of  religion,  this  ! — Query — can  there  be  any  fin,  or  can 
iv:  be  flf -condemned,  in  not  loving  a  characler,  which  has  ns 


28  THE  DIVINE   LAW  [jSS'C.   III. 

other  principles  than  thefo  which  are  natural  to  us.  We 
therefore  on  this  hynothefis  are  not  fallen  creatures,  nor  do 
\vc  med  to  be  boin  ag.--.in-  All  we  need,  is  a  revelation 
that  God  loves  us,  ar.d  will  make  us  forever  happy.  The 
redeemer  and  the  fan  airier,  may  both  be  left  cut  of  the  ac- 
count. So  bad  a  law  deferves  no  honor;  and  let  that  be 
fet  afide,  and  God  love  us,  and  we  (hall  naturally  love  him, 
without  any  fpecial  influence  from  above.  A;.d  thus  the 
whole  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift  is  overthrown. 

But  it  is  a  plain  cafe,  that  it  was  not  originally  the  duty 
of  iinite  Intelligences  to  love  themfelves  in  fuch  fort,  as  to 
look  upon  it  an  unamiable  thing  in  God,  to  punifli  them 
according  to  their  crimes,  in  cafe  of  their  revolt.  This 
would  fuppofe,  that  it  was  originally  their  duty  to  be  ene- 
mies to  God's  government.  This  kind  of  felf-love  is  pe- 
culiar to  apellate  creatures  ;  and  in  Head  of  being  a  duty, 
is  of  the  nature  of  fin.  Inftead  of  being  innocent,  it  is 
pregnant  with  enmity  againir.  God's  true  and  real  charac- 
ter. It  ought  therefore  to  be  called  by  the  proper  nr,me» 
which  God  has  given  it,  a  carnal  mind  ;  not  the  leaft 
tin&ure  of  which  belonged  to  the  original  constitution  of 
an  innocent  creature.  For  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  again/} 
God,  is  not  fuljeel  to  his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be.  Or,  if 
we  would  give  it  another  name,  we  may  call  it   pride. — 

h*velinefs  in  it  ? — Can  that  law  be  holy,  jvfi  ar.d grod,  which 
rtquires  us,  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation  10  do  that  which  is  in 
it  fclf  fitful,  M  contrary  to  the  law  cf  God?" — Tea,  rather, 
is  net  that  a  wicked  law,  which  requires  us  to  do  a  wicked 
thing,  to  do  what  is 'contrary  to  the  laiu  of  God?" — Is  riot 
that  a  tyrannical  law,  which  requires  us  to  do  that  which  is 
impojfible,  not  through  the  budntfs  cf  our  heart,  but  "  utterly 
impojfible,''''  let  our  hearts  be  ever  Jo  good,  "  contrary  to  the 
original  conjlitution  of  reasonable  creatures  ?" — Would  not  the 
HOLY  ONE  of  lfrarl  have  icon  obliged,  in  honour  to  hint  fclf 
to  have  laid  a  fide  fuch  an  unreafonable,  finfui3  wicked,  tyran- 
nical law,  had  thtre  never  been  a  Mediator  ?  Would  it  not  bs 
inconfifient  with  every  perfection  rf  the  di-vine  Nature  to  gi~>e 
his  Sou,  to  become  it  c  ■  his  life  and  death,  to  Jhcw  the 

greateft  refpect  and  do  tie  great eft  honour  to  fuch  a  law  f — Does 
not  Antintmianifm  lead  dire&ly  to  Infidelity?    See  Mr.  Cud- 
worth's  Further  Defe)  ce  of  Thtron  and  AfpaflO,  p.  22  1,  222, 
.223,   224.,    225,   226,   227. 


SEC.   HI.}  HOLY,    JUST   AND    GOOD.  2$ 

For  what  is  it  but  pride,  for  a  Sinner  to  thii.k  hirrfelf  fo 
good,  an  1  of  fuch  iraft  imp  rlance,  that  God  mult  forfeit 
his  clumber,  and  cealc  10  be  lovely,  if  be  only  p. nifl.es 
him  according  to  his  defert  ?  Would  it  not  be  accounted 
pride  in  a  murderer,  to  think  the  chief  jud^o  muft  loie  his 
own  character,  if  he  pronoui  ces  the  ientence  of  death  upon 
him  ?  That  is,  if  he  does,  what,  intbe  eyes  of  every  im- 
partial man,  it  becomes  him  to  do  ?  And  would  it  not  be 
a  full  proof  of  a  proud,  haughty,  impenitent,  mimic  I  i,  i- 
rit,  i:i  a  traitor  on  I  ws,  if  when  urged  to  lay,  "God 

lave  the  King,"  he  (h  mid  reply,   "  it  is  impoffiWe  for  ire 
to  wifh  the  King  profperity,  lo  long  as  I  am  doomed  to 
die  i"    When  in  reafon  he  ought  to  take  the  blame  of  his 
ruin  wholly  t  j  himfelf.     Nor  has  he  any  ground  to  d 
his  King  and  Country,  or  be;  the  lefs  benevolent  toward  thorn 
becauic  he  is  pvmifhed  according  to  his  defert.     Rather  he 
ought  to  go  out  cf  the  world  ;  faying,  "  Let  all   his   fnj>- 
jocls  love  and  obey  their  moil  gracious  Sovereign,  although 
I  receive  my  juft  defert,  and  am  hanged  for  my  troafon." 
For  his  King  is  as  worthy  of  the  univerfal  love  and  ol 
ence  of  his  fubjecls,  as  if  he  had  never  been  Co  wick. 
to  bring  himfelf  to  fuch  a  miferable  end.      And    no: 
but  a  criminal  ft  te  of  mind  can  prevent  its  appearing  fo 
to  him.      And  if  God'?   law  be   holy,   jail  and  good,  the 
application  is  cji'y.    But  to  all  this  I  may  add,  what  would 
alone  of  itfelf,   have  been  a  full  anfwer  to  the  objection, 
that  Saint  Paul  does  the  fuppofed  impofiible  deed,  viz. — 
pronounces  the  law  in  contr adiliinction  from  the  Gofpcl, 
even  as  a  Miniftration  of  death  and  condemnation   to  be  vlo* 

riour.    z  Cor.  ii.  7,  9 But  to  proceed, 

II T.  If  the  divine  law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  glori- 
ous law,  antecedent  to  a  confiderarion  cf  the  gift  of  Chrift, 
then  this  apoftate  world  might  juftly  have  been  held  bound 
by  it  for  ever,  and  no  relief  provided.  Gcd  was  no  more 
obliged  in  point  of  juftice  to  provide  relief  for  fallen  Man, 
than  for  fallen  Angels.  In  this  refpect  we  ftocd  en  a  par 
with  them.  Our  revolt  did  not  render  God  lefs  amiable 
in  himfelf,  or  lefs  worthy  of  cur  obedience,  nor  in  the  leaft 
free  us  from  our  original  natural  obligations  to  love  him 
with  all  our  hearts,  and  yield  a  perfect  obedience  to  his 
will.  If  our  inclination  to  love  and  obey  God  ceafed, 
yet  as  his  worthinefs  of  our  love  and  obedience  remained, 
dur  obligations  were  in  full  force,  and  the  law  was  as  rea- 


JO  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [SEC.  HI. 

fonable  and  equitable  after  cur  fall  as  before.  And  fo  he 
was  ab.olutely  at  liberty,  in  point  of  juiiice,  to  have  held 
us  bound  by  law,  and  never  have  provided  any  relief  for 
any  i  f  the  human  race.(i) — And, 

If  this  is  the  very  trutn  of  the  cafe,  it  will  follow,  that 
it  w\.b  at  God's  fovereign  election,  to  determine*  whether 
to  grant  any  relief,  or  not:  and  what  relief  to  grant;  and 

(l)  3ut  on  the  ether  hard,  if  tf ere  is  no  lovelinejs  in  the 
divine  nature,  but  what  >  rju  Its  from  his  being  my  friend,  then 
1  cannot  be  obliged  to  icve  God,  unle/s  he  is  mf  friend  ;  for  I 
cannot  be  obliged  to  love  a  being  who  has  no  lovelinfj's  in  his 
nature.  If  ti.ere  is  no  lovelinejs  in  God,  it  is  no  fin ,  but  ra- 
ther a  duty,  to  think  there  is  none,  and  feel  accordingly.  And 
fo,  if  mar.kir.d,  by  the  fall,  Icj}  the  favour  and  friendjhip  of 
God,  and  fll  under  his  wrath,  then,  en  this  l.ypothefj,  their 
ebligutun  to  love  him  ecaj'ed.  It  was  no  duty  for  any  child  of 
Adam,  to  love  God :  no  fn  not  to  love  him.  And  if  no  Jin, 
then  no  repentance^  no  atonement ,  no  pardon  was  needed  in  the 
cafe.  The  divine  law  ceafed  to  be  obligatory  the  moment  the 
favour  of  God  v:as  hf  by  the  fall.  And  fo  no  child  of  Adam 
could  be  corfdertd  as  beig  under  it.  It  had  been  inconfjlent 
with  the  divine  perfections  in  God,  to  have  held  mankind 
bound  by  it :  He  was  obliged  in  jujlice,  if  he  brought  us  into 
being,  to  provide  feme  relief  for  us.  2 ea,  God  was  obliged 
in  jujlice  to  frgive  us,  and  become  our  friend,  or  not  to  require 
our  love.  For  it  would  net  be  jijl  and  right  to  require  us  to 
love  him,  if  there  is  no  lovelinej's  in  his  nature.  And  on  this 
hypothefs,  there  is  no  lovelinefs  in  his  rature,  'till  he  forgives 
us,  and  becomes  cur  friend.  And  as  joon  as  G:d  forgives  us 
and  becomes  our  friend,  vue  jhall  naturally  leve  him,  and  fo 
we  Jhall  not  need  to  be  born  of  the  fpirit,  for  that  vohich  is 
born  of  the  flejh  may  love  a  J'riend  and  benefaclcr  :  for  Sin- 
ners love  thcj'e  that  love  them.  And  jo,  on  this  jcheme,  the 
Redeemer  and  the  $a>ic~tiftr  are  needlefs.  And  jo  if  this  Jcheme 
is  true,  Chrijlianuy  is  overthrown — //  concerns  Mr.  Cud- 
wiorth,  to  give  a  better  anfwer  to  this  reafoning,  than  yet  he 
has  dons. —  To  Jay ,  that  the  divine  /aw  requires  us  fo  do  what 
is  "  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,"  and  yet  is  "  holy,jujl  and 
food,  is  to  J'olve  the  difficulty  by  an  exprefsj'elf  contradiction— ~ 
To  fay,  that  God  is  in  himf elf  infinitely  lovely,  is  to  give  up  his 
whole  fcheme.  But  he  mujl  own  this,  or  give  up  the  GqfpeL 
Further  defence,    p.  2  2  I ,   tsV. 


SEC.  III.]  HOLY,   JUST  AND  GOOD.  Jf 

when,  and  to  whom.  To  give  iiis  Son  to  die  with  a  view- 
to  fave  all  mankind,  or  only  a  part :  to  fend  me  news  ut" 
the  Gofpel  tv)  ail  nations,  or  oniy  to  fome  :  to  give  every* 
child  of  Adam,  botn  in  a  Christian  iano,  opportunity  by 
living,  to  hear  the  glad  tidings,  or  only  to  grant  this  10 
fome,  while  oJiers  die  in  infancy,  and  never  he.tr.  Thofe 
who  die  in  infancy,  may  as  juftiy  be  held  under  law  in  uie 
next  world,  as  thofe  tnat  live  may  in  tikis .  God  is  under 
no  more  obligations  to  fave  thofe  that  die,  than  he  is  to 
iave  thofe  that  Jive:  to  grant  tiie  regenerating  influences 
of  his  fpirit  to  them,  than  he  is  to  thefe.  As  to  thofe 
who  live  and  hear  the  Gofpel  once,  God  is  not  obliged  to 
fend  them  the  news  the  fecond  time,  or  to  wait  a  moment 
longer  afier  the  ririt  refufal.  and  if  mankind  are  difinclined 
to  hearken  to  the  Gofpel,  God  is  at  liberty  to  determine 
what  pains  to  take  with  them,  whether  much,  or  little,  or 
none  :  whether  to  ufe  external  means  only,  or  to  grant  the 
internal  iniluences  of  his  fpirit  :  whether  to  ftrive  with 
them  a  longer  or  Ihorter  time,  in  a  greater  or  ief>  degree, 
in  a  common  or  fpecial  manner.  He  may  have  mercy  on 
ivbom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  uubcm  be  *ujtllhe  may  harden, 
i.  e.  leave  to  their  own  hearts  under  fuch  external  circum- 
ftances,  as  he  certainly  knows  will  have  this  ifiue.  And  if 
any  proud  conceited  rebel  thinks  himfelf  hardly  dealt  with, 
and  is  ready  in  a  rage  to  rife  aguinit,  God  and  againit  his 
law  with  loud  complaints,  God  is  at  full  liberty,  as  the 
blame  is  wholly  on  the  rebel's  fide,  to  treat  him  accordingly, 
and  in  righteous  judgment  give  him  up  to  the  deceits  of 
his  own  heart,  and  to  the  delufions  of  Satan,  to  be  led  cap- 
tive by  h.m  at  his  will,  into  open  Infidelity,  or  into  delu- 
five  hopes  and  joys,  that  be  might  belie-ue  a  lie,  and  finally 
be  damned,  z  I'hef.  ii.  10,  li,  12 — And  thus  if  the  law  is 
good,  the  whole  of  the  divine  conduct  toward  mankind, 
in  fact,  Hands  juftified.  For  in  no  part  of  his  conduct  is 
there  the  leaic  appearance  of  illegal  feverity.  Thic  never 
was  objected  even  by  his  word  enemies.  And  if  his  law 
is  good,  his  whole  conduct,  therefore,  (lands  completely 
juftified. — And, 

If  any  fay,  that  the  law  was  not  good,  thit  God  could 
not  juftiy  have  held  Mankind  bound  by  it,  but  was  obliged 
to  provide  fome  relief;  then  it  will  inevitably  follow,  that 
that  book,  which  afriims  the  divine  law  to  be  holy,  juft, 
and  good,    and  attributes  the  relief  provided  wholly   to 


32  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [SEC.  HI. 

free  grace,  cannot  be  from  God  ;  becaufc  its  fundamental 
maxims  are  hike,  So  that  of  neccffity,  we  muit  grant  the 
law  to  be  good,  with  ail  its  naive  coniequences,  or  be 
!..  And  he  who  from  the  heart  does  not  the  one, 
is  in  fact,  the  other  in  the  li^ht  or  God. 

IfiGpd  was  obliged  in  juftice  to  piovide  all  needful  re- 
lief, t;:en  all  the  relief  he  h&  provided,  which  is  no  more 
th.n  was  really  needed,  is  an  act  of  jullice.  And  if  it  is 
an  act  of  juitice,  it  is  not  an  ait  of  grace  :  And  fo  on  this 
hypothesis,  there  is  in  the  Goipel  abioiutely  no  grace  at 
all. —Or, 

If  G-jd  was  obliged  in  juftice  to  provide,  at  lead,  fome 
relief ;  then  the  relief  provided  in  tne  Goipel,  is,  at  leall, 
partly  an  ad  of  juitice.  And  if  partly  an  a&  of  juitice, 
$H)t  wholly  an  act  of  grace:  On  either  hypothetic,  tlie 
Goipei  cannot  be  true,  which  every  where  claims  to  be 
wholly  of  free  grace. 

For  the  Son  of  God  to  become  incarnate,  and  die  to  get 
juffice  d<  ne  us,  as  though  his  Father  was  a  tyrant,  is  in- 
confiftent  with  every  perfection  of  the  Deity.  To  enter- 
tain ft'ch  a  notion,  is  at  leall,  as  great  a  rtiicclion  on  the 
holy  one  of  Ureal,  as  Atheifm  iiieif.  To  fay  that  God  is 
unrighteous,  is  as  impious  as  to  fay  theje  is  no  God.  And 
a  fyitem  of  religious  affections  arifing  from  fuch  views, 
mult  be,  in  an  eminent  degree,  an  abomination  to  the  Lord. 

IV.  If  the  civine  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  glorious, 
law,  the  law  which  all  Mankind  are  naturally  under  ;  then 
the  decree  of  our  finful  depravity,  and  the  degree  of  our 
blame- wo.-tnir.eis  is  to  be  determined  by  this  rule  :  And 
any  other  judgment  of  ourfehes  we  come  into,  not  agree- 
able t .1  this  ftandard,  is  not  according  to  truth.  So  near 
as  we  approach  to  love  God  with  all  our  hems,  and  cur 
neighbour  as  ourfelves,  and  to  a  conduct  exactly  anfwera- 
ble,  fo  near  we  approach  to  the  rule  of  cur  duty.  But  fo 
far  as  we  are  deftitute  of  that  lively,  high  and  lavifhing 
fenfe  of  the  divine  glories  which  is  productive  of  perfect 
love,  and  a  perfect  obedience,  fo  far  are  we  from  wiiat  we 
ought  to  be  :  And  fo  far  as  we  are  deftiture  of  that  love 
to  out  neighbour,  which  will  effectually  excite  us  in  thought, 
word  and  deed,  to  conduct  toward  him,  as  we  would  that 
he  fliould  do  towards  us ;  fo  fur  we  are  fiom  the  rule.  And 
we  arc  to  blame  for  every  defect  in  a  degree  eqtai  to  the 
greatnefs  of  the  legal  penalty  ;    that  is,  for  every  aefect. 


SEC.  III.]  HOLY,  JUST,  AND  GOOD.  33 

we  are  fo  much  to  blame  as  to  merit  eternal  mifery.  And 
To  far  as  our  judgment  of  our  moral  character  is  regulated 
by  chis  rule,  fo  far  our  opinion  of  ourfelves  is  according  to 
truth.  This  is  to  think  foberly  of  ourfelves,  and  as  we 
ought  to  think.  To  think  better  of  ourfelves,  is  pride. — 
And  the  degree  of  our  pride  and  groundlefs  felf-conceit, 
is  therefore  juft  equal  to  our  diitance  from  this  view  of 
ourfelves,  and  to  our  diitance  from  an  anfwerable  frame 
of  heart  toward  ourfelves,  in  the  fight  of  God.  Jult  fo  far 
as  we  are  difpofed  to  think  the  law  too  i'evere,  juft  fo  far 
are  we  difpofed  to  julhfy  ourfelves  and  condemn  God  : 
and  juft  fo  far  are  we  felf-riglueous,  in  the  worlt  fenfe  of 
the  word.  On  the  other  hand,  fo  far  as  the  law  actually 
appears  to  our  hearts  to  be  holy,  jult,  good  and  glorious, 
fo  far  we  actually  juilify  God,  and  take  all  the  biame  to 
ourfelves,  and  loath  and  abnor  ourfelves  in  his  fight.  And 
jult  {o  far,  and  no  farther  are  we  free  from  what  the  Scrip- 
ture means  by  a  felf-righteous  fpirit.  Juft  fo  far  as  God 
and  his  law  rife  in  their  glory  in  our  view,  and  to  our  fenfe 
anJ  feeling,  jull  fo  far  our  character  finks,  and  is  rendered 
odious,  abominable,  ill-deferving,  Hell-deferving,  in  our 
eyes.  And  jult  (o  far  our  need  of  Chrilt  and  free  grace 
comes  into  view.  For  the  moil  exalted  virtue  of  the  higrieir. 
Saint  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  divine  law,  and  com- 
pared with  the  demerit  of  the  lealt  fin,  is  lig  iter  than  the 
lealt  atom  of  matter,  compared  with  tne  whole  material 
fyitem.     But  of  this  more  hereafter. 

Thofe  who,  in  the  inmoit  recels  of  their  hearts,  never 
as  yet  viewed  the  divine  law,  as  in  itfelf,  holy,  jult,  good 
and  gloi  ious,  are  to  this  day  under  the  full  power  of  a  felf- 
righteous  fpirit,  and  under  the  reigning  dominion  of  a 
fpirit  of  enmity  againft  God,  and  againlt  the  glorious 
Gofpel  of  his  Son.  And  the  more  religious  and  devout 
they  are  in  their  own  opinion,  jult  fo  much  worfe  they  be ; 
as  all  their  religion  and  devotion  only  f.eds  and  confirms 
the  pride  of  their  hearts.  For  the  whole  of  their  good 
opinion  of  themfelves  as  religious  men,  is  nothing  but 
pride  and  groundlefs  felf-conceit  in  the  fight  of  God  ;  who 
conliders  them  in  the  midit  of  iheir  higheft  raptures,  as 
being  whit  they  are,  and  as  deferving  what  they  do  com- 
pared with  his  holy  law,  that  perfect  rule  of  righ\  W.iich 
perfect  rule  of  right  they  are  fo  far  from  any  degree  of 

E 


34  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [SEC.   III. 

conformity  to,  that,  as  yet,  in  their  inmcfl  foul,  they  never 
once  thought  it  to  be  good. — And 

V.  If  the  divine  law  is  holy,  jail,  good  and  glorious, 
true  repentance  for  fin  cannot  begin  to  take  place  in  the 
hearts  of  timers  (nor  for  the  fame  reafon  can  they  yield 
any  fincere  obedience  to  it)  till  it  begin  to  appear  to  be 
fuch.  Sinceic  obedience  to  a  law  we  iir.cerely  hate,  is  a 
glaring  incontinence.  And  fincere  repentance  when  we 
go  not  feel  ourfelves  to  blame,  is  an  exprefs  contradiction. 
But  till  the  law  begins  to  appear  holy,  juit,  good  and  glo- 
rious, Sinners  cannot  begin  to  fee  that  that  blame  lies  on 
them,  which  the  Gofpel  calls  them  to  acknowledge,  and  to 
humble  themfelves  for,  when  it  calls  them  to  repentance. 
For  as  in  the  Gofpel  an  infinite  ate  nement  for  fin  is  pro- 
vided, the  import  of  which  is,  that  God's  law  is  wholly 
right,  and  that  we  are  wholly  wrong,  and  as  infinitely  to 
blame,  as  the  law  fuppofes ;  fo  when  it  calls  us  to  repent- 
ance, it  c  annot  be  underitood  in  any  other  fenfe.  Nor  is 
any  ether  kind  of  repentance  the  thing  the  Gofpel  can 
pofiibly  mean.  The  charge  exhibited  agaii.it  us  in  the 
law,  is  by  the  crofs  of  Chrill  pronounced  to  be  perfectly 
right,  and  the  law  by  which  we  are  charged  and  condemned 
is  declared  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  glorious  law,  wor- 
thy to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable  :  and  all  the 
blame  is  coniidered  as  being  entirely  in  u.s,  God  and  his 
throne  forever  guiltlefs.  Repentance  begins  in  our  be- 
ginning to  view  things  in  this  light,  with  an  anfwerable 
frame  of  heart.  But  to  objeel  againtt  the  charge  as  being 
too  fevere,  and  again ll  the  law  as  requiring  too  much,  is  a 
full  proof  of  an  impenitent  heart.  For  the  import  of  i'ucii 
an  objection  is,  "  the  fault  alledged  is  not  in  me,  in  man- 
ner and  form  as  fet  forth  in  the  c  .:  e.  He  that  thus 
charges  me  therefore  lias  done  me  an  injury  :  'Tis  there- 
fore proper  for  him  to  repent,  and  not  iur  me."  And  if 
any  Sinner,  in  fuch  a  ft  ate  of  mind,  fhould  by  lion, 

be  induced  to  believe,   that  God  withdraws  the  charge, 
and  delivers  him  from  the  curfe,    he  might  in  I 
forgive  his  Maker,  arid  to  his  own  apprehenfioh  be  fuily 
reconciled  to  him.     Which  reconciliation,  if  it  be  called 
by  the  mine  of  Evangelical  r  ■  yet  is  fo  far  from 

beinn;  the  thing,  that  it  is  a  full  pro<  f  that  luch  a  Sinner, 
in  the  eye  of  the  Go  pel,  is  not  yet  convince  ,  th  it  it  be- 
lbnrs  to  him  tu.ienent.    For  as  vet,  he  does  no:  ice  himfelf 


SEC.   III.]  HOLY,    JUST  AND  GOOD.  35 

to  blame,  in  manner  and  form,  as  aliedgcd  in  the  divine 
law.  Every  objection  a  man's  heart  makes  againft  the  law, 
every  plei  he  advances  for  himfelf,  every  excufe,  every 
extenuating  coniideration,  is  a  proof  he  does  not  think 
himfelf  to  biame  as  therein  held  forth.  And  the  more 
pofitively  he  affirms,  that  ic  is  imppffible  lie  fnould  love 
God,  pntil  firft  he  knows  that  1 1 :. -.  fins  are  pardoned,  the 
more  pofitively  does  he  declare  that  his  uncircumcifed 
heart  is  ftill  unhumblcd,  and  that  he  is  ftill  difpofed  to  juf- 
tify  himfelf,  and  impute  iniquity  to  his  Maker.  For  God 
to  forgive  a  Sinner  in  this  view,  and  fo  bring  him  to  a 
reconciliation,  is  virtually  to  own  that  his  law  was  too 
fevere,  and  himfelf  to  blame,  and  to  repent  and  make  res- 
titution,and  fo  induce  the  Sinner  to  forgive  him.  And  to 
fuppofe  that  Chrift  died  to  bring  God  the  father  to  this, 
is  the  very  firlt-born  of  blafphemy.  And  if  Sinners  be- 
lieve fuch  a  Gofpel,  and  are  raviihed  with  it,  their  \ery 
Faith  proves  them  Infidels,  and  their  very  joys  prove  they 
are  enemies  to  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chrift.  There 
can  be  not  the  leaft  degree  of  that  kind  of  repentance, 
which  the  Gofpel  calls  Sinners  unto,  unlefs  we  feel  oilr- 
felves  to  blame  in  the  lenfe,  which  the  death  of  Gi  rill 
imports.  But  the  plain  import  of  the  death  of  Chrift  is, 
that  the  law  by  which  we  are  charged  and  condemned,  is 
a  good  and  glorious  law.  For  its  being  fuch,  was  the 
very  thing  that  rendered  his  mediation  and  deaili  needful 
in  order  to  our  being  forgiven,  confident  with  the  divine 
honour.  To  be  blind  to  the  beauty  of  the  law,  to  plead 
in  our  own  j unification,  to  excufe,  extenuate,  &c.  is  to  de- 
clare ourfeives  to  be,  in  the  fight  of  God,  impenitent  Infi- 
dels, enemies*to  Heaven.  For  every  word  we  hy  in  our 
jiii'i; location,  in  this  cafe,  is  to  God's  condemnation.  For 
if  we  arc  nc:  fo  much  to  blame  as  his  law  fuppofes,  he  is  to 
blame  who  made  the  law  :  and  repentance,  reftitution  and 
reformation,  are  his  duty.  And  fo  a  felf-j unifying,  is  a 
God-condemning  difpontion  ;  and  therefore  of  all  "things 
mod:  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  which 
(declares  Gcd  to  be  wholly  right,  and  feals  the  declaration 
with  b'.o.  d. 

VI.  If  the  divine  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  antecedent 
ti  a  coniideration  of  the  death  cf  Chrift,   then  the  gift  of 
Chiill,  to  be  a  Saviour,  was  an  acl  of  grace  abfoluiely  free. 
E     2 


36  THE  DIVINE  LAW  [sEC.  III. 

As  God  was  not  obliged  to  grant  any  relief  at  all :  fo  the 
relief  he  has  granted,  in  every  view  of  it,  is  an  aft  of 
grace  abfolutely  free.  The  gift  of  Chrijl  10  be  a  Redeemer, 
the  gift  of  the  holy  fpirit  to  be  a  fancVtficr,  divine  illumi- 
nation, Faith,  repentance,  forgivenefs,  and  every  other 
Wefling  contained  in  the  Gofpel,  is  abfolutely  of  fiee  gn.ee. 

And  by  the  way,  this  is  the  true  Gofpel  notion  of  free 
grace  ;  and  is  what  no  Antinomian  ever  yet  had  a  true 
idea  of.  For  till  the  law  appears  to  be  a  glorious  law, 
worthy  to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable,  the  grace 
of  the  Gofpel  cannot  be  feen.  For  it  was  this  very  thing 
that  rendered  the  gift  of  Chrift,  in  God,  an  ait  of  grace, 
altogether  free.  For  had  not  the  law  been  wholly  good, 
God  had  been  obliged  in  juftice  to  grant  us  fome  relief. — 
And  had  it  not  been  altogether  giorious,  the  death  of 
Chrirt  to  do  it  honour  had  been  needlefs. 

And  this,  I  fay,  is  an  idea  of  free  grace,  that  no  Anti- 
nomian  ever  had.  I  ufe  the  word  Aniinomian  according 
to  its  prefer  fignification,  to  mean,  one  that  is  againft  the 
law  ;  which  is  the  true  character  of  all  men,  how  much 
enlightened  foever  they  have  been,  in  reality  or  to  appear- 
ance, who  are  yet  blind  to  the  beauty  of  the  divine  law. 
For  all  fuch  are  enendes  to  it  in  heart,  whatever  their  pro- 
feiTicn  may  be.  Armininns  and  Pelagians  are  prcf-fied 
enemies  to  the  law,  and  fo  were  thefe  in  the  two  hfl  cen- 
turies, who  were  commonly  called  Antinomians.  But  thefe 
who  profefs  to  be  enemies  to  the  divine  law,  and  boldly 
advance  their  objections  againft  it,  do  only  more  impu- 
dently proclaim,  what  more  fecretly  lurks  in  the  heart  of 
every  unregenerate  man,  how  orthodox  foever  his  profef- 
fion  may  be.  For  every  carnal  mind  is  enmity  agaiift  God, 
for  it  is  net  fubjeSi  to  bis  lanv,  neither  indeed  can  be.  And 
therefore  it  is  equally  true,  as  to  all  unregenerate  men,  as 
the  Apoftle  affirms,  the  natural  man  cannot  dij'ccrn  the  things 
of  the  fpirit  tf  God,  for  they  are  fooli/bnefs  unto  him.  Nei- 
ther the  glory  nor  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel  was  ever  feen 
by  an  unregenerate  man.  For  the  Gcfpcl  hasfno  glory  nor 
grace  in  it,  only  on  fuppofition  the  law  was  a  glorious  law 
antecedent  to  a  confederation  of  the  gift  of  Chrift.  Till 
therefore  the  law  be  thus  viewed,  and  no  unregenerate 
man  ever  viewed  it  thus,  neither  the  glory  nor  the  grace  of 
thr  Gofpel  csn  ever  be  feen.  And  if  our  Gofpel  be  hidy  it  is 
hidto  them  that  art  loft. 


SEC.  III.]  HOLY,   JUST  AND  GOOD.  37 

But  1  the  rather  fay,  this  is  an  idea  of  the  grace  of  the 
Gofpel  no  Antinomian  ever  had.  To  fee  it  in  contrail 
with  that  nation  of  free  grace,  which  Antinomies  fo 
called,  are  wont  to  have,  and  to  gloiy  in,  viz.  being  par- 
doned before  repentance:  this  is  free  giace  inceed.  Re- 
pent and  be  converted  that  your  fins  may  be  blotted  cut,  founds 
very  legal  in  an  Antinomun  car.  To  believe  the  pardon  of 
fin  and  God's  love  to  mc,  impenitent  as  I  am.  is  pure  Gof- 
pel.  And  this  belief  is  the  fource  of  love  to  God,  and  of 
all  religion.  And  thefe,  with  them,  are  the  doctrines 
of  free  grace,  which  they  love,  and  for  which  they  are  fulL 
of  zeal.  But  as  to  the  free  grace  of  the  Gofpel  <  f  Chrift, 
wnich  fuppofes.  that  God  was  absolutely  unobliged  to 
grant  any  relief  to  this  apoftate  world,  as  the  law  by  which 
we  ftood  condemned,  was  holy,  juft,  good  and  gloriou. — 
explain  it,  till  they  begin  a  little  to  underftand  what  yoa 
mean,  and  they  will  appear  as  great  enemies  to  free  grace, 
as  anv  people  in  the  world  :  juft  as  the  Pharifecs  of  old, 
who  made  their  boaft  of  the  law,  and  yet  were  enemies  to 
the  law,  rightly  undertlood.  Their  f*lfe  notions  of  the 
law  ferved  only  to  feed  their  fpiritual  pride,  juft  as  falfe 
notions  of  Chrift  and  free  grace  do  with  thefe  n.en. 


SECTION    IV. 

TJje  defign  of  the  Mediatorial  Office  and  work  of  Chrifty 
was  to  do  honour  to  the  Divine  Law, 

AMEDTATOR.  to  bring  about  a  reconciliation,  fup- 
p  >fes  the  parties  concerned  to  be  at  varia  ce.  If 
both  parties  arc  to  blame,  it  is  the  bufmefh  of  a  Mediator 
to  bring  b  >th  parties  to  fee  their  faults,  tocenfefs,  ref<  rm, 
and  mak-  refti  ution,  and  fo  to  make  up.  If  one  party  is 
altogether  rig ht,  and  the  other  altogether  wrong,  then  one 
party  is  to  be  wholly  juftified,  approved  and  commended, 
as  publickly  as  zhe  con  roverfy  is  known,  and  the  entire 
blame  to  be  laid  at  the  other's  door;  who,  if  he  can  make 
no  restitution,  muft  fuffer  according  to  his  defert  unlef-  the 
Med'-ttor.  or  fome  other,  will  intereft  himfelf  in  his  wel- 
fare, fo  as  to  become  his  fponfor,  and  anfuer  in  his  Head. 

£    i 


3$  THE   DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.   IV. 

And  if  his  crime  is  of  fuch  a  nature,  that  his  penitency  can 
make  no  atonement,  if  ever  he  is  forgiven  and  received 
into  favour,  it  mufl:  be  fimply  on  the  credit  of  his  fpenibr. 
But,  in  the  cafe  before  us,  God  was  wholly  righr,  end  we 
were  wholly  wrong  ;  and  fo  much  to  blame  that  our  deep- 
ed, penitency  ought  in  reafen  and  jullice  to  be  difjegarded. 
However,  fo  fir  were  we  from  penitency,  as  rather  to  be 
difpofed  to  Juftlfy  ourfclves,  and  lay  the  blame  en  God, 
and  on  his  holy  law.  And  our  difrfTccticn  to  the  divine 
character  and  government  arofe  even  to  enmity  itfelf. — 
When  therefore  the  Mediator  efpoufed  his  Father's  honour, 
and  teftificd  of  the  world,  that  their  works  were  evil,  they 
were  an^ry,  yea,  t;.-ey  were  enraged,  and  they  put  him  to 
death  as  not  fit  to  live.  So  far  were  they  from  a  difpofi- 
tion  to  take  the  b'.-ime  to  themfelves,  confefs,  repent,  return 
and  be  reconciled.  And  this  conduct  of  a  fet  of  men,  who 
made  very  high  claims  to  virtue,  was  but  a  fpecimen  of 
that  temper,  which  is  natural  to  all  mankind.  But  what 
reafon  have  mankind  to  be  fo  dif.fTected  to  the  Deity  ? 

God,  an  abfolutely  perfect,  and  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable  being,  infinitely  worthy  of  fupreme  love  and  ho- 
nour, and  of  univerfal  obedience,  the  Creator  and  original 
proprietor  of  the  Univerfe,  as  becomes  him,  afTumes  the 
authority  of  king  and  fupreme  governor  over  his  own 
world,  takes  the  throne,  proclaims  his  divinity,  faying,  / 
am  the  Lord,  and  befides  me  there  is  no  other  God,  and  then 
(bait  leroe  the  Lord  thy  God  'with  all  thy  heart,  and  yield  an 
entire  ohedier.ee  to  his  --will.  Adding,  he  that  doth  llcj'e  things 
jhall  iize  in  them  ;   but  the  foul  thtit  fins  jhail  die. 

For  us  thus  to  love,  honour  and  obey  him,  is  no  more 
than  a  practical  acknowledgement  of  his  Godhead  and 
Lordfnip  ;  it  is  no  more  than  barely  giving  wto  the  Lord 
the  glory  due  unto  his  name.  And  this  is  all  he  requires, 
and  it  is  our  duty  ;  and  our  obligations  to  it  are  ii  finite, 
and  it  is  infinitely  for  our  ir,t<  reft.  So  that  our  difaffec- 
tion  and  rebellion  are  unreasonable,  groundlefs,  nay  infi- 
nitely criminal.  To  be  dif  ffected  and  to  rife  in  open  rebel- 
lion, as  we  in  this  lower  world  h;;ve  done,  is  a  praclical 
declaration  in  the  fight  6f  the  Univerfe,  (and  practice  freaks 
louder  than  words)  that  God's  character  is  not  good,  and 
thai  his  law  is  bad.  Or  in  other  words,  it  is  a  praclical 
declara  ion,  that  he  is  not  whar  he  claims  to  be,  by  n.ture 
God  an  absolutely  perfect,  and  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiabje  Being,  and  our  rightful  Sovereign. 


8EC.JV.]  MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND   WORK.  39 

To  have  given  up  his  law,  founded  on  his  Godhead  and 
Lordlhip,  and  which  only  affertcd  his  proper  character 
and  worth, and  claimed  his  proper  rights,  had  been  a  prac- 
tical giving  up  of  his  divinity  and  iupremacy,  in  favour  of 
a  difarFeciion  absolutely  grbundlefs,  of  a  rebellion  infi- 
nitely unreaibnable.  A  thing  very  unbecoming  Uje  abfo- 
lutcly perfect  Iking,  at  the  head  of  the  UniveHe.  Better, 
infinitely  better  a  wh  >le  race  of  fuch  apoflates  be  doomed 
to  endlefs  woes,  as  a  public  praa.^al  declaration  of  trie 
infinite  evil  of  their  Crimea, 

Tht  defign  of  the  in  jam  ition,  life  and  death  of  the  Son 
of  God,  was  to  give  a  practical  declaration,  in  the  moil 
public  runner,  even  in  the  fight  of  the  whole  intellectual 
fyftem,  that  God  was  worthy  of  all  that  love,  honour  and 
obedi-nce  which  his  law  required,  and  that  fin  was  as  great 
an  evil  ;is  the  puiiiihment  threatened  fuppoied  ;  and  {>  to 
declare  Goo's  1  ighteoufnefs,  and  condemn  the  fins  of  an 
apoltate  world,  to  the  end  God  might  be  juit,  and  vet  a 
Juftifier  of  the  believer.  And  this  he  did  by  obeying  and 
dying  in  our  room  and  Head. 

Tne  Jewilh  difpenfation,  which  was  defigned  to  prepare 
the  way  for,  and  to  introduce  the  Chrjftian,  and  which 
was  a  ihido.v  of  which  Carift  is  the  fubftance,  was  in  its 
whole  conftitution  purpofely  calculated  to  do  honour  to 
the  divine  law.  The  clouds  and  the  thick  darkr.efs  and 
the  flame  of  a  devouring  fire  on  Mount  Sinai,  the  thunders 
and  the  lightning?,  and  the  voice  of  a  trumpet  exceeding 
loud,  were  in  honour  of  the  divine  law  ;  which  was  by 
God  prornulged  to  an  aflembly  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren, containing  near  three   million.     An  affair  fo  grand 

as  this  had  never  before  happened  in  this  lower  world. 

And  all  the  variety  of  temporal  curies  enumerated  and 
denounced  againft  the  tranigreff  >r,  and  all  the  variety  of 
temporal  bleflings  reckoned  up  and  promifed  to  the  obe- 
dient, were  in  honour  of  the  divine  law.  And  the  law 
being  written  with  the  finger  of  God  on  two  rabies  of 
fione,  laid  up  in  the  Ark,  and  placed  in  the  holy  of  holies, 
under  the  Mercy-feat,  the  dwelling  pl;ce  l  f  the  God  of 
Ifrael,  was  in  honour  of  the  divine  law.  An  J  (q  were  ;-.!! 
the  facrifices  of  atonement,  the  altars,  the  Priefl  ,  tTp  ci- 
ally  the  High-Prieft,  drefled  in  his  holy  rv.bes,  holineh  to 
the  Lord  writ:en  or.  his  f  rehead,  the  no-e*  of  the  twelve 
iiribes  on  his  breaft  and  on  hi$  ihoulder,  the  bi«od  ci  aione- 


4©  THE   DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC   IV. 

ment  in  his  hand,  enieung  cncc  e\ciy  \e  r  into  the  holy 
of  holies,  into  the  immediate  pretence  of  God,  to  rr.  ke 
atonemeru.  Nor  could  any  tranfgreflbr  of  the  law.  under 
that  dilpcnfa»ion,  obtain  remifiion  of  fins  without  wedding 
of  blood.  A  plain  acknowledgement,  that  his  blood  de- 
fervtd  to  be  tiled,  who  tranfgreifea  the  law.  And  io  a 
practical  dcclarat  on  that  the  law  was  holy,  juft  and  good. 

And  ar.fwerable  to  the  fpirit  of  that  difpeniation,  the 
whole  congregation  of  lfrael  were  by  the  divine  direction 
led,  on  their  entering  into  the  h<  ly  land,  to  Mount  Geriz- 
zim  and  to  Mount  Ebal  ;  and  while  the  curie  of  the  law 
againft  the  tranfgreflbr  was  proclaimed  aloud,  all  the  c<  n- 
gregaticHi  anfv-ered  amen,  as  a  n;oll  pub;ic  and  fulemn 
declaration,  that  the  law  was  holy,  jull  and  good.  Nor 
could  a  jew  wihoui  this  acknowledgement,  with  any 
confiftency,  pfefent  a  bull  or  a  goat,  to  die  in  his  ftead, 
and  mak'j  atonem  nt  f<r  his  fins. 

But  all  the  honours  done  to  the  divine  law  under  that 
difpenfnion  were  but  ftiadows,  but  mere  fliadows.  They 
had  no  fubltance  in  them.  Thev  were  acknowledgements 
too  mean  to  be  of  any  avail.  They  were  of  no  weight  at 
all  to  counterbalance  the  reproach  caft  on  the  divine  Mi- 
jeflv  bv  fin.  And  therefore  the  bleed  of  bulls  and  goats 
could  not  take  awav  fin.  Yea,  Lehc.non  <uas  net  fjf.aent  to 
burn ,  nor  all  the  beijls  there ffuffcient  for  a  burrtt-cjfering. 

Wherefore  the  bon  of  God,  antecedent  to  h»s  incarna- 
tion is  introduced,  frying  to  his  Father,  "  Sacrifice  end 
offering  thou  didjl  net  defae.  They  had  no  dignity,  no 
Wv-rth,  no  virtue,  and  could  not  an!* er  the  tnd.  Mine 
ears  la/l  thou  baredt  a?  the  Jewifh  matter  did  his  fervam's, 
who  of  his  own  free  will  fuid,  1  love  my  mailer  ar.d  will 
be  his  fervant  forever.  O  eternal  Father,  I  have  offered 
to  h-  come  thv  feiv^nt  in  ibis  great  work,  and  thou  h;;ft 
accepted  the  <  fr\r,  and  hired  mint  ears.  7  hen  /aid  /,  lo  I 
cow,  I  c'e'iklt  to  do  t  y  nxill ;  ya.  thy  la^v  is  within  ?ny 
heart."     Compare  Exod.xxi.  5,  6.  Pial.  xl.  6,  7,  8.  Htb. 

*•  *«  6'  7- 

Him,   therefore,  did  God  fet  forth  to  be  a  propitiation, 

to  declare  his  r  i «« •  r  i  eoufnefs.  Ard  becaufe  he  thus  volun- 
tarily  efpoufed  the  honour  of  bis  Father's  government,  and 
condemred  fi ; ■  i .1  0  e  ficfr  en  the  crefs,  becaufe  he  thus 
loved  righteoufrefs  ana*  bated  iniquity,  therefore  wa.<-  his 
Father  well  pieafed,  fmeh  a  fweet  favour,  exaited  his  Son, 


SEC.  IV.]  MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK.  41 

and  became  propitious  to  an  apoftate,  finful,  guilty  world 
through  him.  For  he,  being  G  ,d  as  well  as  Man,  was 
worthy,  was  of  fuffuient  dignity,  and  his  obedience  and 
fufferings  of  fufKcient  weight  in  his  Father's  fight. 

The  import  of  that  perfect  obedience  to  hi  F.-ther's 
will,  in  our  (lead,  through  the  gieateit  trials,  which  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate  performed,  was.  that  "  God  was 
worthy  of  fup:eme  love  and  honour,  and  of  univertal  obe- 
dience from  his  creature  Man." — The  import  of  his  iuf- 
ferings  in  our  room,  in  which  he  was  made  a  curfe  to 
redeem  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  v\as,  that  "  the  curfe 
of  the  law  was  ftrictiy  juft,  and  fuch  as  became  his  Father 
to  threiten  and  to  execute." — The  import  of  his  appearing 
in  the  prefence  of  God  in  Heaven,  uith  his  own  bicod,  to 
make  interceflian  for  tranfgrcflors,  is,  that  "  he  does  not, 
nay  cannot  defire  any  favour  to  be  (hewn  to  Sinners  under 
a  notion  the  law  is  too  fevere  :  but  only  as  being  confidered 
holy,  juft,  gooJ  and  glorious,  worthy  to  be  magnified  and 
made  honourable  by  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God." — And 
the  juftice  of  the  divine  law  will  appear  in  a  ftriking  light, 
when  he  who  thus  honoured  it  in  his  own  perfon  on  the 
crofs,  and  thus  honours  it  at  his  Father's  right  hand  in 
Heaven,  appears  to  put  it  in  execution  at  the  laft  day  on 
his  near  relatives,  his  brethren  according  to  the  flefn  ;  who 
would  never  own  the  goodnefs  of  the  law,  nor  take 
the  blame  of  their  dif  ffeftion  aud  rebellion  to  themfelves, 
and  on  this  foot  defpifed  and  rejected  the  glorious  grace 
of  the  Gofpel.  And  all  holy  beings  will  echo  to  the  laft 
fentence,  and  with  the  higheft  approbation  join  to  cry, 
J  MEN  HALLELUJAH  :  ivbile  the  /moke  cf  their  torment 
afcends  forever  and  ever. 

Thus  the  whole  Mediatorial  fcheme  is  defigned,  and  in 
its  own  nature  adapted,  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law. 

And  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law  was  the  only  thing 
that  rendered  the  Mediatorial  office  and  work  of  Chrift 
needful  in  order  to  the  falvation  of  Sinner*.  For  God 
was  not  an  unrighteous  Bing,  and  fo  could  not  bed  ifpofed 
to  hold  his  creatures  bound  by  a  bad  law,  unlefs  his  Son 
would  die  to  procure  their  relief.  Nor  was  the  goodnefs 
of  the  divine  nature  fo  fmall,  that  he  could  not  find  in  his 
heart  to  Ihew  mercy  to  Sinners,  unlefs  his  Son,  to  move 
hi^  compaflions,  would  die  for  them  on  Earth,  and  plead 
their  caufe  in  Heaven.     Had  the  law  in  fad  been  bad,  it 


42  THE   DESIGN  OF  CHRTST's  [SEC.  IV. 

had  been  the  meft  honourable  thing  in  the  divine  M^jefty 
to  have  laid  it  afide  expreflly  as  fuch,  and  no  Mediator  hid 
been  needful  in  the  cafe  ;  and  had  there  been  no  bar  in  the 
way  of  the  honourable  exerciie  of  divine  grace  to  a  guilty 
world,  infinite  goodnefs,  by  a  fovereign  acl,  might  at  an 
infinitely  lels  exprnce,  hive  pardoned  and  faved  all  the 
hum;:n  race,  and  all  the  labours  and  fufrerings  of  his  Son 
to  make  atonement  had  been  needlcfs.  God  did  not  wane 
a  heart  to  dous  juilice.  Nay,  God  had  an  heart  overflow- 
ing with  infinite  goodnefs,  witnefs  the  gift  of  his  Son  — 
And  fo  no  Mediator  was  needful  to  move  the  divine  com- 
panions, much  lefs  to  prevent  his  being  too  fevere  with  us. 
Yea;  a  Mediator  for  any  f.ich  purpofes  had  been  an  infi- 
nite reproach  to  the  Deity.  A  Mediator  therefore  was 
needful,  in  order  to  the  fal»ation  of  Sinners,  for  no  other 
purpofc,  but  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  which  we 
had  dishonoured  by  ourfms.  And  thus  he  afierted  the  di- 
vine character,  vindicated  the  rights  of  the  Godhead, 
dec!a:ed  the  righteoulncfs  of  the  divir.e  government,  con- 
demned fm,  laid  all  the  blame  of  our  disaffection  and  rebel- 
lion at  our  own  door,  while  he  obeyed  and  died  in  our 
room  and  flead,  that  we  through  him  might  be  faved. — But 

I.  Jf  Chrift  died  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  then 
there  is  no  glory  in  the  Gofpel  only  on  fuppofuion  the  law 
is  a  glorious  law.  For  not  one  of  the  divine  perfections 
are  manifdfted  in  the  death  of  an  incarnate  God  to  do  ho- 
nour to  the  divine  law,  if  the  divine  Jaw  was  not  worthy 
cf  this  honour.  It  was  no  acl  of  wifdem  in  God  to  give 
his  Son  to  die  to  do  honour  to  that  which  deferved  no  fuch 
honour.  Jt  was  no  a<ft  of  holinefs,  jnftice  or  goodnefs. — 
It  was  neither  to  the  honour  of  God,  nor  needful  to  the 
falvation  of  Men. — And, 

If  not  one  of  the  divine  perfections  are  manifefted  in  the 
death  of  Chrift,  only  on  fuppofuion  the  law  is  a  glorious 
law,  not  one  of  the  divine  perfections  can  be  feen  in  this 
aff.iir  only  in  a  view  of  the  glory  of  the  law.  No  glerv 
can  be  feen  in  the  atonement,  only  as  the  law  appears  to 
be  a  glorious  Gofpel.  To  every  one  at  enmity  againft  the 
divine  law,  the  glory  of  the  Gofpel  will  be  hid.(i) — And, 

(i)  If  God's  lauj  requires,  on  the  penalty  cf  Eternal  detrac- 
tion, that,  *vubieh  is  in  its  oiun  nature  jhful,  then  it  is  a 
<wicked  laiv.      But  that  which  is  <(  contrary   to  the  latu  of 


SEC.  IV.]   MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE   AND  WORK.  43 

II.  If  die  excellency  of  the  divine  law,  as  a  perfeft  ruie 
of  right,  hciy,  juit  and  good,  was  the  only  thing  that 
rendered  the  death  of  Chfrift  needful  in  order  to  the  lalva- 
tion  of  Sinners;  then  a  view  of  the  excellency  cf  the 
divine  law,  as  a  perfect  rule  of  right,  holy,  juit  and  good, 
and  an  anfwerabie  view  of  our  own  chara&er  and  Hate,  is 
the  only  tiling  that  can  lead  us  to  fee  our  need  of  the 
atonement  or  Cbrift.  We  cannot  fee  our  need  of  Chrilc's 
atonement,  unlefs  we  fee  that  which  readers  his  atonement 
needful  ;  but   the  excellency  of  the  divine  law  was  that 

God,"  is  in  its  own  nature  finf id :  for  Jin  is  a  tranfgrcjjion  of 
the  law.      But  according  to  Mr.  Cud-worth,  the  law  requires 
what  is  "  contrary  to  the  law)  of  God,"  what  **  clojhes  with 
cur  duty."  p.  222,  223,  224.       '1'herefore,   according  to  him, 
it  is  a  wicked  law.    But  if  it  is  a  wicked  law,  God  is  obliged 
in  juj'tue  to  repeat  it.      But   to  give  his    Sin   to  die,    to  do  ho- 
nour to  a  wicked  law,  of  all  things  in  the  Univerfe,  would  be 
nyl  contrary  to   ail  the  divine  perfections.      In   this  -view  cf 
the  law  therefore,  net  one  of  the  divine  perfections  can  be  Jeen 
off  the  crefs  of  Cbrijl. —  Wbal  then  decs  Mr.  Cudw.rth  mean 
by  Ci  loving    God  for  tiis  own  lotielinefs  as  thus  afco-vered  by 
the  Goj'pel,  every  divine  perfection  being  df covered  as  harmo- 
nizing in  the  fai-vation  of  I,,  e  guilty  by  jejus  Ghrifi  ?'*  p.  225. 
IVhen  on  his  jchemet  hire  is  not  one  divii.e  ptrf:.  ton  mdnifefted 
i.cr  any   lovelinefs   of  the  d'hvine   nature  uncovered,      lea,   i 
the  law  had  been  what  Mr.  Cndw,r;,:fijs  it  is,  it  had  bet 
in  its  own  nature  an  infinitely  wicked  thing  for  the  Sen  cf  Go. 
to  die  to  do  it   honour.      It   had  tan  to  ao  honour  to  a  wicAe 
law  ;   -which  is  tbeftrme  thing  as  to  do  honour  to  wickt<i,,e/s 
which   is  an  infinitely  wiSked  thing. — What  then  dots   Mr 
Cudworth  mean,  by   *'  loving  God  for  /.is  own  loixelrnefs  s 
Why.,  he  tenevts,  that  by  means  cf  GhrijP s  death,  i.isj.ns  at 
pardoned,  and  Gcd  become  lis -particular 'fft end,   turned  to  I 
entire!;  on  his  fide,   "  difpofe'd-  to  make  hrm  happy,    and  eppej 
whatever  is  contrary  10  his  hatpin ej s\'*' p.  221,  223.    etna  thi 
s  lovely  to  hifk  ;   and  is  ,:  1  of  the  loevtltnefs  cj 

i-vint  nature  he  can  concc-i  c  cf."   p.    22i.fr  he  ic-vcs 
kimjelf,   although  he  appears  pcrfcr.  ft  ;■  i  hone  tit  of 

the  divine  ebaracler,  in  imputing  fuch  wickednejs  to  tie  I 
as  requiring  what  is  •*  contrary  to  tie  law  of  Gcd,  and  <. 
with  our  duty."      And   he  can  be  ra-vijhed  to  think   his   own 
happinefs  fecure ,   although  f&  blind  to  the  beauty  cf the  divine 


44  THE  DESIGN  OF   CHRIST'S  [SEC.   IY. 

which  rendered  the  atonement  of  Chrift  needful :  therefore 
we  cannot  fee  oar  need  of  the  atonement  of  Chrift,  unlefs 
we  ije  the  excellency  of  the  divine  law.  A  binner  fngutened 
wi;h  the  apprehen lions  of  eternal  burnings,  may  iee  his 
nted  of  deliverance,  witnout  any  ide±  of  the  need  of  an 
infinite  atonement  in  order  thereto. — .And, 

To  lay,  "  that  the  divine  law  is  holy,  jufl  and  good, 
in  our  view,  but  not  gloiious  ;"  is  to  lay,  "  that  holinefs 
juftice  and  goodneis,  in  our  view,  are  net  glorious  attri- 
butes" And  if  lo,  then  nither  does  God  deierve  our  love, 
nor  is  his  law  worthy  to  be  honoured  on  the  crofs  of  Chrilt, 
in  our  view. 

So  long  as  we  are  at  enmity  againft  the  law,  fo  long  as 
the  divine  ap^e^rs  to  be  an  inglorious,  unlovely,  uncefir- 
able  law  ;  not  perfect  in  beauty,  without  a  blemifh,  with 
application  to  ouifelves  :  even  fo  long  our  need  of 
Cnnit  to  die  in  our  Head,  to  do  honour  to  the  law,  will  be 
undifejmed.— Therefore, 

To  the  natural  man,  in  the  Apoftolic  age,  when  the 
Gofpel,  as  is  acknowledged,  was  rightly  itated,  the  work 
of  Redemption  by  Chrilt,  appeared  to  be  a  foolifh,  (hock- 
ing affair,  (compare  i  Cor.  1.  18,  23,  24.  Chap.  ii.  14. 
2  Cor.  iv.  3.)  We  preach  Qbrifi  crucified,  unto  the  J*tws  a 
Jlumbling  block,  and  unto  the  Creeks  foolijhnefs.  For  while1' 
they  were,  as  the  fame  Apoltle  obierves,  at  enmity  againft 
God  and  bis  law,  (Rom.  viii.  7.)  to  hear,  that  the  Son  of 
God  incarnate,  died  on  the  crois,  to  declare  God's  rigbte- 

cbar  after,  as  to  feel  difpofed,  to  declare  before  tbe  world,  that 
it  is  "  utterly  impofiible"  to  lo-ve  it. —  Ind  pray  now,  low 
does  Mr.  Cudwortb  do,  to  keep  from  plunging  headlong  into 
down-right  Infidelity  ?  tlow  can  be  believe  that  tbe  Sen  cf 
God  beca-ne  incarnate  and  died  to  do  honour  to  a  law  fo  un- 
reafonable  and  wicked,  as  to  require  what  **  is  inco/fjlent 
with  the  original  co>ftitution  rf  a  reajlnable  creature,  and 
contrary  to  the  luw  of  God  ?  h  by,  indeed,  be  feels,  or  rather 
pretends  to  feel  no  difficulty  in  tbe  way.  Far  he  can,  in  exprefs 
contradiction  to  linijclf,  without  a  Llufb,  pronounce  this  <very 
law  "  holy,  juft  and  good  ?" — **  This  does  not  infer  that  tbe 
law  was  too  rigorous,"  fays  he,  "  no,  far  Jrom  it,  this  is  only 
Mr.  Bellamy's  forced  concluf.cn  "  p  226.  But  net  a  word 
does  he  Jay.  to  jhew  wherein  my  ccnclufon  was  forced :  or  to 
free  his  own  febeme  from  this  glaring  mconf.fi e nee. 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK.         45 

oufnefs,  to  condemn  fin,  to  magnify  the  law  and  make  it 
honourable,  mull  needs  (tumble  and  confound  the  carnal 
Jews,  and  appear  foolifhnefs  to  the  pagan  Greeks.  No 
miracles  therefore  were  fufficicnt  to  convince  them  cf  the  di- 
vine original  of  the  Gofpel.  Nothing  fhort  of  the  imme- 
diate inflaences  of  the  fpirit  of  God  to  open  their  eyes  and 
take  the  veil  from  their  hearts.  But  unto  them  who  were  thus 
called,  both  "Jews  and  Greeks,  Chrif  the  power  of  God 
and  the  voifdom  of  God.  For  the  natural  man  rcceiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  fpirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  fool ij.h?;efs  unto 
him  ;  neither  can  he  know  tiem,  becaufe  they  are jpiritually 
dij'cerned.  And  if  our  Gofpel  is  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that 
are  lojl.  The  preaching  of  the  Crofs  is  foolijknefs  to  them 
that  perijh.  For  indeed  it  had  been  a  fooiifh  thing  for 
God  to  have  given  his  Son  to  die  to  fave  Sinners,  had 
there  been  no  need  of  it :  and  there  had  been  no  need  of 
it,  had  not  the  divine  law,  which  msn  had  broken,  and  by 
which  he  flood  condemned,  been  holy,  jail  and  good,  a 
glorious  law,  worthy  to  be  honoured  by  the  blood  of  an 
incarnate  God.  But  to  natural  men,  the  divine  law  does 
itbt  appear  to  be  thus  glorious  and  thus  worthy  of  honour  : 
rather  it  appears  an  odious,  hateful  law,  which  ou^ht  to  be 
repealed.  For  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againft  God,  is  not 
fubjeel  to  his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be.(i) 

(1)  If  God,  antecedent  to  a  coif 'deration  of  the  gift  of  his 
Son,  viewed  in  the  glafs  of  the  iaw,  was  an  ugly,  hateful 
Being  :  then  he  dejlrved  to  be  hated  and  abhorred :  and  then 
the  law  which  required  us  to  love  him  on  pain  of  death,  was 
an  unreafonahle,  tyrannical  lata :  and  then  it  deferred  to  be  hated 
and  treated  wit .  contempt,  and  not  to  be  lowed  and  honoured :  and 
then  the  death  of  Cbriji  to  do  it  honour,  wa<  not  the  wifdom 
cf  God,  but  a  Humbling  block  and  fool i fh ne (s  :  and  the  Gof- 
pel is  not  divine,  is  not  from  God :  nothing  remains  but  Infideltty. 

To  Jay,  that  the  law  is  holy,  jujl  and  grod ',  in  requiring  us 
to  love  a  hatrfu1  character  on  pain  cf  death,  is  worfe  than 
Infidelity.  To  believe  God  a  hateful  Being,  and  a  tyrant  in 
our  hearts,  and  yet  with  cur  mouths  to  fay,  it  is,  in  him,  holy, 
jufl  and  good,  to  require  us  to  love  him  on  pain  cf  death,  is  to 
fpeak  lies  in  hypocrijy. — My  Tier  on  believed  the  law  holy,  juji 
and  good,  in  requiring  fupreme  low  on  pain  cf  death,  when  he 
faid,  "  Let  all  Heaven  forever  love  and  adcrc  the  infinitely 

F 


46  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.   IV. 

III.  An  Antinomian  fpirit  is  an  Antichriftian  fpirit  ;  to 
hate  the  divine  law  is  to  be  an  enemy  to  the  Crofs  of 
ChriH  ;  to  bate  the  divine  law  is  to  be  an  enemy  to  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate,  who  loved  the  law,  and  died  to  do 
it  honour:  An  enemy  to  his  character,  and  to  the  very 
defign  of  his  death. — 1 —  And, 

An  Antinomian  fpirit  is  the  very  fource  of  Infidelity. 
For  if  tl»c  divine  law  is  an  ocicus,  hateful  law,  it  is  incre- 
dible, it  is  absolutely  incr^uible,  that  the  Sen  of  God  fhould 
come  from  Heaven,  and  die,  to  do  it  honour. — Therefore, 
every  Antinomian  is  at  heart  an  Infidel.  But  every  unre- 
generate  man  is  in  this  fenfe  an  Antinomian.  Rem.  viii.  7. 
Therefore  every  unregen  crate  man  is  under  the  reigning 
power  of  Infidelity.  And  therefore  it  is  written,  (1  Joh. 
v.  1.)  Whofoever  beheveth  that  J  ejus  ist-.e  Chrijl.  is  born  of 
God.    And,  (Rorn.  x.  9.)  If  thou  Jha.lt  confejs  with  thy  mouth 

glorious  Majefiy,  although  I  receive  my  Jufl  defer t  and  peri jh 
forever"  He  Jaw  God's  char  ail  er  exhibited  in  his  law  to 
be  lovely .  This  led  him  to  fee  why  Chi  >jl  fo  loved  and  jo  ho- 
noured this  character  on  the  Crofs.  And  Chrijl  crucified,  in 
this  view,  appeared  to  him  the  wijdoin  of  God.  Should  cne 
tell  Theron,  that  Chrijl  never  did  love  this  characler  of  God ; 
never  did  think  *«  that  all  Heaven  ought  forever  to  love  and 
adore  the  infinitely  glorious  Majefiy,  viewed  as  thus  dtfpofed  to 
funijhjin  withjb  great  Jeverity  /"  And  Jh  add  he  affirm,  that 
this  is  a.  '*  Jpecies  of  love  beyond  what  J  ejus  Chrijl  e-^cr  had  :" 
And  that  it  was  not  f rem  love  to  this  characler  originally ,  and 
to  do  it  honour,  that  drill  was  willing  to  endure  the  Crofs 
and  defpife  the  fhame  ;  but  merely  becaufe  he  was  bribed, 
becaufe  his  Father  hired  him  by  the  joy  fet  before  him  :  and 
Jhould  one  endeavour  to  prove  all  th  is  j <  cm  Scripture  :  Thtron, 
fhocked  with  theblafphemy,  would  be  ready  at  once  to  pronounce 
the  man  nvorfe  than  an  Infidel. — And  yet,  if  this  is  not  the 
point  of  light  in  which  Mr.  Cudwortb  views  things,  1  know 
not  what  he  means,  by  what  he  fays,  p,  224.  for,  in  any  other 
<view,  there  is  no  force  in  what  he  fays.  For  if  Chrijl  verily 
thought  in  his  heart,  and  that  previous  to  a  confideration  of  the 
joy  fet  before  him,  that  "  ail  Heaven  ought  forever  to  love 
and  adore  the  infinitely  glorious  Majefiy  >  for  being  Jo  fevere 
againf}  fin  ;"  Then  Theron,  through  the  regenerating  influ- 
ences of  the  holy  fpirit  j  was  only  brought  to  view  things  in  a 
Chrifiian  light.      That  is,  in  the  fame  light  that  Chrijl  did. 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND   WORK.  47 

the  Lord  Jej'us,  and  fro  all  believe  in  thy  heart ,  that  Gcd  bath 
Taifed  him  from  the  dead,  thou  jh  alt  be  faced. 

IV.  If  God  the  Father  gave  his  Sou  to  die,  if  God  the 
Soa  voluntarily  left  his  Father's  bofom,  and  expired  upon 
the  Crofs,  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  hw  ;  then  on  the 
Crofs  of  Chrifl:,  we  have  the  higheft  poflible  external  proof 
of  the  goodnefs  of  the  divine  law  :  The  higheft  proof 
which  ould  have  been  given  by  Go  J  the  Father,  or  God 
the  Son;  and  lb  the  highe't  external  proof,  that  God  oar 
Creator  is  infinitely  worthy  of  our  fupreme  love  and  uni- 
verfal  obedience,  and  th  it  our  disaffection  to  him  and  to 
his  government  is  entirely  groundiefs,  yea,  infinitely  cri- 
minal, exactly  agreeable  to  the  import  of  the  divine  law. 
— — —  Therefore, 

To  doubt  of  the  infinite  amiablenefs  of  God  our  Creator, 
to  doub:  or'  the  abfolute  perfection  of  his  law  and  govern- 
ment, or  to  doubt  whether  our  difa  flection  be  thus  ground- 
iefs and  thus  criminal,  is  to  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  Gof- 
pel.  Every  Objection  againit  the  divine  character,  every 
Objection  againit  the  divine  law,  every  fin-extenuating, 
fe  f-jnilifying  plea,  is  the  language  of  Infidelity.  For  if 
our  objections  againit.  God  and  his  law  are  of  the  lead 
weigiit>  or  if  our  pleas  do  in  the  leail  render  us  excufable, 
then  Jefus  was  not  the  Son  of  God.  For  if  jefus  was  the 
Son  of  God,  God  and  his  law  are  wholly  right,  and  we 
are  wholly  wrong,  and  as  much  to  blame  and  as  inexcufi- 
ble,  as  the  curie  of  the  law  fuppofes ;  for  this  was  the  ground 
on  which  he  died.  And  if  in  his  death  he  foaled  a  falfe- 
hood  with  his  blood,  furely  he  did  not  come  from  Go  1. 

Therefore  ; — To  believe  with  ail  the  heart,  that  Jefus  is 
the  Chriit,  is  to  believe  with  all  the  heart,  that  God  our 
Creator  is  infinitely  amiable,  infinitely  worthy  of  fupreme 
love  and  univerfal  obedience  from  his  creature  man  :  And 
to  believe  with  all  the  heart,  that  the  divine  law,  which 
requires  this  of  us,  in  our  prefent  itate,  on  pain  of  eternal 
damnation,  is  a  holy,  juft  and  good  and  gloncus  law,  wor- 
thy to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable  by  the  obedi- 
ence and  death  of  an  incarnate  God.  To  believe  with  all 
the  heart  that  our  difaffection  to  the  divine  character,  law 
and  government,  is  not  only  entirely  groundiefs,  but  infi- 
nitely criminal.  And  to  believe  with  all  the  heart,  that 
the  Son  of  God,  in  this  view,  became  incarnate,  lived  and 
F     2 


4^  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRlST^S  [SEC.  IV. 

died,  that  he  might  declare  God  and  his  law  to  be  wholly 
right,  and  the  whole  blame  to  bz  in  us;  or  in  ether  words, 
that  he  might  declare  G:d's  rightecufnefs,  and  condemn 
fin  in  the  fiefli :  that  this  was  the  import  of"  his  being  made 
a  curfe  to  redeem  u.  frcm  the  curfe,  and  that  this  was  the 
dciign  of  his  being  i'ci  forth  to  be  a  propitiation;  and  that 
it  is  only  in  his  name,  and  through  him,  who  has  thus 
done,  that  God  can  be  juft,  and  \ct  the  juftifier  of  him 
lhat  believeth  in  Jefus. Bv.:, 

To  believe  thefe  truths  with  al!  the  heart,  to  come  cor- 
dially into  thefe  fentiments,  is  perfectly  contrary  to  every 
vicious  bias  in  the  .hear:  of  a  (in-loving,  fin-extenuating, 
felf-juftifying,    God-hating,    law-condemning    creature  ; 

which  is  i he  character  of  every  unregeiierate  man. 

Therefore, 

Every  unregenerate  man  is  not  only  at  heart  an  Infidel, 
but  even  as  great  an  enemy  to  the  truth  of  the  Gofpel,  as 
he  is  to  the  holinefs,  jnftice  and  gcodnefs  of  the  law. 
Therefore, 

No  ma,i  can  fay  thai  Jefus  is  the  Chrifl,  but  by  the  Holy 
Gbcfi,  i  Ccr.  xii.  3.  Ac  man  can  come  to  the  Son,  but  ivhom 
lie  Father  draws,  Joh.  vi.  44..  And  nvho/bever  believeth 
Jefus  is  the  C!:rifl,is  born  of  God,  I  Joh.  v.  I. — And  yet, 

V.  From  this  view  of  the  Mediatorial  ofiice  and  work 
of  Jefus  Chrifl,  his  true  character  and  divine  miflion  may 
be  infallibly  determined.  Had  he  been  an  enemy  to  the 
divine  law,  which  the  God  of  Ifrael  had  fo  honoured  on 
Mount  Sinai,  and  in  the  whole  Jewifh  difpenfation,  it  had 
been  a  full  proof,  that  he  was  not  the  Meffiah  promifed  in 
the  Jewifh  facred  writings.  A  full  proof,  rather,  that  he 
was  an  enemy  to  the  God  of  lfracl,  and  on  the  fide  of  his 
lebellious  fubjects,  who  all  agree,  to  hate  his  law.  But 
now  it  appears — that 

He  loved  his  Father  with  all  his  heart;  was  perfectly  in 
his  intercft,  wholly  on  hi:>  fide,  and  on  the  fide  of  his  law 
and  government.  He  judged  his  Father  to  be  wholly 
right,  and  we  to  be  wholly  wrong  ;  his  Father's  law  to  be 
holy,  jufl  and  good, and  wealtogether  to  blame, even  as  much 
to  blame,  as  the  law  fuppofed  ;  and  was  as  great  an  enemy  to 
the  wickednefs  of  an  apellate  world,  as  the  Father  himfelf. 
While  his  regard  to  the  welfare  of  loft  Sinners  was  fo  great, 
that  he  was  willing  to  die  for  their  redemption,  he  looked 
upen  them  fo  much  to  blame,  and  fo  deferving  cf  the  threa- 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK.         49 

tened  punifhment,  that  he  had  not  the  lead  defire  they  fhould 
be  pardoned,  unlefs,  in  a  way  in  which  it  fhould  be  molt  ex- 
plicitly acknowledged,  that  it  had  been  a  worthy  becoming 
deed  in  God  to  have  punifhed  them  according  to  law. — 
And  thus  he  was  to  perfection  his  Father's  friend,  and  to 
perfection  an  enemy  to  the  fpirit  of  his  Father's  rebellious 
fubjetts.  Thus  he  loved  rigbteoufnefs  and  hated  iniquity.  And 
in  this  frame  of  heart,  he  perfectly  obeyed  his  Father's 
law,  and  offered  up  himfelf  a  facrifice  to  God,  for  the  fins 
of  the  world. — Which  is, 

A  full  demonitration  that  he  was  fent  cf  God.  For  he 
is  his  Father'b  very  image.  We  may  often  from  the  coun- 
tenance of  a  child,  giveis  who  his  Father  is;  but  here  the 
Son  is  the  exprefs  image  of  his  Father's  perjon.  So  that  m> 
man,  who  knows  God  the  Father,  can  doubt  whether  Jefus 
is  his  Son.  For  the  very  Glory  cf  God  is  in  the  face  of  Jefus 
Chrifl.  Jufliy  therefore  did  our  bleficd  Saviour  condemn 
the  infidel  Jews,  as  hating  his  Father,  becaufe  they  hated 
him;  for  he  and  his  Father  were  fo  exactly  alike,  that  to 
hate  him  was  a  full  proof  they  hated  the  Father  alfo,  (Joh. 
xv.  23.)  and  juftiy  did  he  difpute  their  claim  to  have  God 
for  their  Father,  and  argue  that  they  rather  had  the  Devil 
to  their  father,  from  the  malignant  fpirit  they  fhewed  to- 
wards him,  who  was  the  very  image  of  the  Deity.  Joh.  viii. 
42.  If  God  <vj ere  your  Father,  ye  would  love  me.  Ver.  44. 
Te  are  cf  your  father  the  Devil.  And  jufliy  did  he  attribute 
all  their  opposition  to  him  and  to  his  caule,  to  their  igno- 
rance of  and  hatred  to  the  true  God,  and  affirm  that  no 
man  could  be  an  Infidel,  but  from  a  wicked,  ungodly  heart. 
Joh.  iii.  19,  20,  21.  Chap.  vii.  17.  Chap.  viii.  33,  48. 
Chap.  xv.  21,  25. 

To  fay,  that  Jefus  Chrifl,  who  loved  the  divine  law,  and 
lived  and  died  to  do  it  honour,  came  from  the  Devil,  who 
hates  the  divine  law,  and  hath  fet  up  his  kingdom  in  oppo- 
fition  to  it,  and  is  at  the  head  of  the  grand  rebellion  in 
the  intellectual  fyflem,  is  jufl  the  fame  kind  cf  abfuidity 
Chrift's  enemies  were  driven  to  of  old,  when  to  evade  the 
evidence  exhibited  in  his  miracles,  they  faici,  He  cajletb 
out  Devils  by  Beelzebub.  For  both  equally  fuppofe,  that 
Satan  is  divided  agait/Jl  himfelf ;  and  is  pulling  dcv.n  his 
own  kingdom  with  his  own  hands.  Matth.  xii.  24,  26. 

To  be  blind  to  the  glory  of  Chrifl  crucified,  is  of  the 
F     3 


50  THE   DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV 

fame  nature,  and  altogether  as  criminal,  as  to  be  blind  to 
the  glory  cf  God  the  Father.  And  to  be  an  unbeliever 
in  the  Son,  as  great  a  vice  as  to  be  an  enemy  to  the  Fa- 
ther ;  to  rejedl  revealed  religion,  an  argument  of  as  bad  a 
heart,  as  down-right  Atheifm.  The  fentence  therefore  is 
jutl,  He  that  bdic-uctb  not  Jball  be  damned.  For  the  Gofpel 
carries  it^  own  evidence  along  with  it,  as  clearly  as  the 
vifible  creation.  Nay,  all  the  divine  perfections  are  more 
clearly  to  be  feen  in  the  Crofs  of  Chrift,  to  one  not  crimi- 
nally blind,  than  the  invilible  things  of  God  be,  in  the  things 
which  are  made.  For,  The  glory  of  Gcd  is  to  befeen  in  the 
face  cf  jffus  Cbrifl.  So  that,  with  the  Jews  of  old,  all 
who  live  under  the  light  of  the  Gofpel  in  any  age,  have 
no  cloak  fi  r  their  fin,  if  they  continue  unbelievers. 

VI.  It'  the  dtiign  of  ChrifVs  Mediatorial  office  and  work 
was  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  we  may  hence  learn 
the  nature  of  Chrift*s  merits,  or  why  his  obedience  was  fo 
meritorious  in  nis  Father's  eyes,  and  why  the  facrifice  of 
himieif  was  fo  acceptable,  of  fo  fweet  fmelHng  a  favour, 
and  nis  whole  character,  office  and  work  fo  infinitely  well- 
p  leafing  to  the  Deity,  that,  to  tcftify  his  approbation  in 
the  fignt  of  the  whole  Univerfe,  he  raifed  him  from  the 
dead,  took  him  up  into  Heaven,  gave  him  a  place  on  his 
own  throne,  and  at  his  own  right  hind,  iffued  out  public 
orders  through  the  world  above,  IVorJhip  him  all  ye  Gods, 
and  refigned  up  all  the  Angelic  Hofts  to  his  command  as 
minittring  fpirits  to  do  his  will,  and  fet  him  at  the  head  of 
the  whole  Univerfe,  with  :.ll  power  and  authority  in  Hea- 
ven and  Earth,  to  reign  till  all  his  enemies  are  put  under 
his  feet,  and  his  whole  fciieme  carried  into  execution,  put- 
ting all  things  under  him,  not  only  all  created  things,  but 
even  God  the  holy  Ghoft,  to  be  fent  in  his  name  to  con- 
vince the  world  of  fin  and  effectually  to  call  home  the 
elcdt  to  God  through  him,  for  all  things  were  put  under 
bin,  him  only  excepted,  <wha  did  put  all  things  under  him  S 
and  farther  to  teltify  his  approbation  and  infinite  delight 
in  the  obedience  and  facrifice  of  his  Son,  peace  and  good 
will  are  proclaimed  to  this  revolted  world,  God  becomes 
propitious,  reidy  to  be  reconciled  to  any,  how  vile  foever, 
who  repent  and  return  in  the  all -pre  vailing  name  of  jefus 
Chrift,  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleafed  ;  fo 
now  repentance  and  remiifion  of  fin  in  his  name  may  be 
pleached  to  all  nations,  and  whofoever  will  may  come, 


SEC. IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK.         51 

may  return  to  God  through  him,  the  failed  ailurances  of 
acceptance  in  his  name  being  given: — I  fay,  if  the  deiign 
of  Chrift's  Mediatorial  office  and  work,  of  his  life  and 
death,  was  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  we  may  fee 
the  reafon  why  his  merit  is  fo  great  in  his  Father'^,  eyes, 
and  why  he  is  thus  accepted  and  thus  rewarded  by  him  ;  it 
was  becaufe  in  all  he  declared  his  father's  ri g pi- 
teous n  ess.  He  rendered  to  God  the  glory  which  was 
due  unto  his  name.  He  glorified  his  Father  on  Earth,  and 
therefore  his  rather  glonries  him  in  Heaven. (1) 

Oar  revolt  from  God,  in  this  lo.ver  world,  had  been  an  0- 
pen,  public,  pracUcal  declaration,  in  the  light  of  the  vrhole  in- 

( 1 )  There  are  thoufands  that  talk  of  trufiing  in  the  righ- 
teouj'nefs  of  Chrifi,  who  bate  his  rtghteoufnefs  with  all  their 
hearts.  They  pretend  to  build  all  their  hopes  on  his  msrit, 
when  that,  in  him,  which  was  fo  men  tori  jus  in  his  Father's 
eyes,  is  the  'very  abhorrence  of  their  fouls.  Every  carnal  wire- 
generate  heart  is  at  enmity  againji  the  divine  law.  Rom.  viii. 
7.  But  to  hate  the  divine  law,  is  to  hate  that,  in  a  confor- 
mity to  which,  the  right  eou/-ifs  of  Chriji  confified,  and  his 
merit  lay.  He  who  is  dijujfecled  to  this  law,  is  therefore 
equally  difaffeSied  to  the  true  and  real  character  of  Chrifi.  He 
hates  that  nghteoufiefs  ofChrijl,  which  was  fo  meritorious  in 
his  Father's  ey.s.  And  can  a  man  confidently  and  really  trull 
in  the  merit  of  that,  which,  in  his  eyes  has  no  merit  in  it,  but 
is  rather  altogether  odious  ?  If  not  he,  who  denies  the  infinite 
amiable  tej's  if  the  Deity  t  as  he  is  in  him/elf,  and  yet  pretends 
to  trujl  in  the  righteaufiiefs  of  Chrift ,  which  confified  in  treating 
God  as  an  infinitely  amiable  being,  guilty  of  the  mofi  ignorant 
and  Jlupid  j'eif- contradiction?  IVhat  then  is  it,  that  men  do 
trujl  in,  to  whom  the  Gfpel  is  entirely  hid  ?  What  is  the  Chrifi 
they  love  ?  and  what  do  they  mean  by  his  righteoufnefs  and 
merit?  iVhy,  one  man  believes  that  the  law  is  abated j  and 
■this  gives  him  comfort :  Another  believes  there  is  forgi-venefs 
with  Gcd  fir  impenitent  Jin:iers  ;  and  this  gives  him  hope  - 
And  another  believes  his  fins  in  particular  are  forgiven  ;  and 
this  gives  him  joy  more  abundantly. —  And  each  one  calls  his 
behef  faith  in  thrift,  when  it  is  the  belief  of  a  lie.  And 
each  one  thinks  he  loves  Chrifi  and  trufis  in  his  righteoufnefs, 
becaufe  be  loves  and  trufis  in  his  own  lie.  For  a  lie  is  at  the 
•bottom  of  the  confidence  of  every  carnal  man  s  and  a  lie,  which 
-the  divine  law,  were  it  fit  home,  would  detecl,  Rom,  <vii.  7,  8, 


52  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV. 

telleftual  fyltem,  "  That  the  infinitely  glorious  Majefty  of 
Heaven  and  Earth,  was  not  woithy  to  be  loved  and  obeyed 
by  his  creature  n  an,  as  his  law  required  :  nor  fhould  we 
deferve,  nor  need  we  fear,  that  we  mould  be  punilhed  ac- 
cording to  his  law,  if  we  did  rebel." 

Love  to  the  Deity,  in  the  Governor  of  the  world,  awak- 
ened infinite  refer. tment.  And  to  bear  teflimony  againft 
this  infinitely  impious  and  wicked  infult,  all  the  human 
race  were  doomed  to  eternal  death.  Thus  was  the  wrath 
of  God  revealed  from  Heaven. 

The  interpofnicn  of  the  Son  of  God  in  our  nature,  to 
obey  and  die  in  the  room  of  rebellious,  guilty  man,  was 
a  practical  acknowledgment  made,  in  the  molt  public 
manner,  in  the  fight  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  in  a  man- 
ner the  mod  honorary  to  the  Deity,  "  that  God  was  as 
worthy  to  be  loved  and  obeyed,  as  the  law  fuppofed ;  and 
our  difaffeclion  and  rebellion,  as  great  an  evil:  and  that 
therefore  the  law,  in  all  its  ftri&nefs,  and  with  all  its  curfes, 
is  holy,  juft  and  good."  Thus  God's  dignity  was  afierted, 
his  authority  owned,  the  righteoufnefs  of  his  government 
declared,  his  moral  charader  vindicated, and  fin  condemned, 
and  in  the  whole  the  glory  given  unto  God  which  was  due 
unto  his  name. — This  pleated  the  holy  Governor  of  the 
Univerfe.  He  fmelt  a  fwcet  favour  in  this  facrifice,  exalted 
his  Son,  and  became  propitious  to  a  guilty  race  through 
him. — For  now  he  might  be  juft,  and  the  Juftifer  of  him 
nxhich  belie<veth  in  fejus.  Rom.  iii.  25    26. 

HE  might  be  juft — Juft  to  the  rights  of  the  Godhead,  to 
the  honour  of  his  law  and  government  and  facred  au- 
thority, thefe  being  ail  effectually  fecured.  Nay,  to  be- 
come propitious  to  a  guilty  world,  as  a  reward  of  Chrift's 
merit,  was  an  honour,  an  infinite  honour  to  his  Sen,  who 
had  honoured  him  ;  and  fo  was  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Faiher :  For  if  the  Son  is  honoured  for  honouring  the  Fa- 
ther, it  is  all  to  the  glery  of  God  the  Father,  (Phil.  i.  6,  11.) 
to  beftow  eternal  life,  on  the  foot  of  law,  in  teftimony  of 
his  approbation,  when  his  creatures,  by  iupreme  love  and 
honour  and  univerftl  oted':erce  to  him,  practically  acknow- 
ledge him  to  be  God  and  Lord,  is  altogether  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father.  Even  fo  it  was  in  this  cafe  alfo.  And 
thus  God  might  be  juft,  even  as  juft  to  his  own  honour,  in 
every  point  of  view,  in  juftifying  him  that  believeth 
in  Jefus,  as  he  would  have  been,  in  the  beliowment  of 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK  5$ 

eternal  life,  as  a  reward  to  perfect  obedience,  had  nan 
remained  loyal  to  his  Sovereign.  For  not  only  was  the 
curfe  removed;  but  even  the  blefiing  itfelf  was  merited. 
And  while  bellowed,  as  a  reward  to  him,  whofe  merit  lay 
in  glorifying  his  Father  on  Earth,  the  very  beftowment  of 
the  blefiing,  was  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.  And 
thus  God  might  be  jult,  and  the  jufliner  of  him,  which 
believeth  in  Jtfus. 

Which  believeth  in  Jefus. — Who  in  a  view  of  the  glory 
of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  excellency  of  the  divine  law, 
and  confeious  to  the  inexcufablenefs  and  infinite  criminal- 
nefs  of  his  di  faffed  ion  and  rebellion,  believes  that  tie  Son 
of  God  hath  become  incarnate,  lived  and  died,  for  the  ends 
already  mentioned,  and  in  this  belief  is  encouraged  and 
emboldened  in  his  name  to  return  and  come  to  God — to 
come  to  God  through  him.  For,  to  come  to  God  by  Chrijl> 
Heb.  vii.  25.  in  the  name  cf  Chrijl,  Joh.  xvi.  23.  believing 
on  bis  name,  Joh.  i.  12.  and  to  have  ioldnefs  to  enter  into  the 
holicft  ly  the  blood  cf  Jefus.  Heb.  x.  9.  are  all  exprefiions 
of  the  fame  import. 

Heavenly  things  cannot  be  fully  reprefented  by  things 
earthly,  however  our  conceptions  of  the  nature  of  Chrift's 
Mediation  may  be  a  little  affiiled  by  fuch  a  fimilitude  as 
this. — Suppofe 

A  Father  of  an  unblemiflied  character,  admirably  fkilled  in 
the  art  of  government,  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  family 
of  children,  wife  and  upright  and  kind  in  all  his  conduct 
towards  them;  in  a  word,  fuppofe  his  character  without  a 
blemifh,  and  his  government  without  a  fault.  In  this  cafe, 
there  can  arife  no  difafie&ion  to  his  perfon  or  government 
among  his  children,  unlefs  the  fault  be  wholly  on  their 
fide.  For  it  is  fuppofed  there  is  no  fault  on  his. — His  ci- 
deft  fon  grows  proud  and  haughty,  loves  bad  company, 
and  turns  debauchee.  Mean  while,  he  naturally  becomes 
difafrected  to  his  father's  character  and  government,  and 
difrelilhes  all  his  ways.  At  length  he  rifes  in  open  rebel- 
lion, leaves  his  father's  houfe,  and  feeks  another  home,  and 
blackens  his  father's  name  wherever  he  goes.  He  is  blamed 
by  the  neighbours,  and  he  jufunes  himfelf;  but  all  he  fays 
in  his  own  vindication  is  to  his  father's  condemnation  :  for 
he  cannot  fay  one  word  to  juftify  his  own  conduct,  but 
which  at  leaft  implicitly  declares  the  fault  to  be  in  his  fa- 
ther. For  if  his  father  is  wholly  right,  he  is  wholly  wrong. 


54  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV# 

A  felf-j unifying  fpirit  therefore  in  him,  is  moil  provoking 
to  his  father.  But  as  his  diiafFeclion  is  great,  he  entertains 
a  very  ill  idea  of  his  father's  character,  and  is  heartily  at 
enmity  againft  his  government,  and  it  is  as  natural  to  juf- 
tify  himielfand  declaim  againft  his  lather's  conduct,  as  it  is  to 
breathe.  And  let  any  man  appear  a  hearty  friend  to  his 
father,  vindicate  his  character,  and  juftify  ail  his  conduct, 
he  feels  himfelf  reproached,  and  in  a  rage  is  ready  to  rife 
and  revenge  himfelf;  and  proteits  he  never  will  be  recon- 
ciled to  his  father,  and  live  at  home,  unlefs  he  will  alter 
his  whole  plan  of  government,  and  bring  down  the  orders 
of  his  family  to  his  tafle.  But  as  the  Father  is  confeious 
there  is  no  fault  on  his  fide  ;  fo  it  appears  to  him  incontinent 
with  his  own  honour,  and  with  the  general  good  of  his  family, 
to  alter  in  one  fmgle  point.  For,  fays  he,  "  My  rebellious 
fon  is  altogether  to  blame;  and  there  is  need  of  alter- 
ation in  none  but  him." — Thus  Hands  the  controverfy. — 
Should  he,  in  a  delirium,  believe  his  father's  character  en- 
tirely altered,  and  that  he  was  become  altogether  love  to 
him,  rebellious  as  he  is,  the  delufion  might  give  him  joy, 
and  confirm  his  vicious  temper,  both  at  once. — Should  one 
undertake  to  be  a  mediator,  under  a  notion  that  the  father 
wa?  partly  to  blame,  a  little  too  rigid,  it  might  pleafe  the 
fon,  but  it  would  be  an  affront  to  the  father  ;  and  fuch  a 
mediator  would  lofe  all  his  influence  in  a  moment.  He 
would  be  looked  upon  as  taking  the  wrong  fide,  and  coun- 
tenancing wickedrefs  ;  a  miniiter  of  fin,  one  that  hated 
righteoufnefs  and  loved  iniquity. — No  mediator  could  find 
acceptance,  but  one  who  fliould  moll  explicitly  declare  the 
father  to  be  wholly  right,  and  the  reoellious  fon  to  be 
wholly  wrong.  Nor  could  his  mediation  be  of  any  influ- 
ence to  procure  a  pardon,  any  further  than  it  tended  to 
affert  the  father's  injured  character,  and  vindicate  his  a- 
bufed  government,  and  eftablifli  his  affronted  authority, 
and  humble  and  reclaim  his  haughty  ruined  child. — Nor, 
could  any  repentance  be  ever  looked  upon  fmcere,  or  any 
reconciliation  be  eiteemed  genuine,  in  the  rebellious  fon, 
but  what  mould  have  its  foundation  in  thorough  conviction, 
that  his  father's  character  and  government  were  wholly 
right;  and  his  own  temper  ar.d  conduct,  from  fir  ft  to  laft, 
entirely  wrong.  An  entire  alteration  in  the  Rate  of  his 
mind  would  therefore  be  abfolutely  neceffary,  to  the  end 
his  father's  character  and  government  might  appear  in 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK.         55 

their  native  beauty.  And  as  foon  as  ever  he  begins  to  fee 
the  beauty  of  his  father's  character  and  government,  he 
will  begin  with  all  his  heart,  to  take  aii  the  blame  to  him- 
felf  :  and  be  ready  with  the  Prodigal  Son,  10  fay,  Father, 
I  hanjs  finned  againjl  Heaven,  and  in  thy  fight  %  and  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  Jon.  And  now  he  will  be  glad 
to  return,  il   he  miy. But, 

A  crime  may  be  too  great  to  be  forgiven,  merely  upen 
repentance,  let  the  criminal  be  ever  fo  penitent.  Thua  a 
wilful  murderer  mull  be  put  to  death,  Let  him  be  ever  fo 
forry  for  his  crinu. — And  thus  a  prince,  lately  married  to 
a  poor  maid,  who  notwithstanding  ail  her  obligations  to 
fidelity,  foon  after  marriage,  to  hi?  grc^-t  reproach,  prof- 
titutes  herfelf  to  the  meaneft  wretch  in  the  kingdom,  if  ob- 
liged in  honour  to  himfeif  and  to  his  kingdom  to  put  her 
away,  let  her  penitency  be  everfo  great.  Pardon  cannot 
be  granted  in  fach  caies  meerly  up  >n  repentance.  Some- 
thing further  is  plainly  needful. — But  thefts  inftances  fall 

infinitely  below  the  cafe  they  are  defigned  to  reprefent 

For  in  the  fight  of  God,  a  firmer,  ever  fo  penitent  for  his 
crimes,  deferves  fo  much  to  be  call  oft  for  ever,  that  in- 
finite Wifdom,  Goodneis  and  Rectitude,  judged,  he  could 
not  honourably  be  par  done  i  and  received  into  favour,  un- 
lefs  the  Son  of  God  himfeif  would  become  incarnate,  and 
Hand,  and  obey,  and  d;e  in  his  ftead.  Penitency  is  fo  far 
from  being  a  fufficient  atonement  for  or  fins,  that  meerly 
the  defects  attending  the  deeped  ice  of  the  moll 

humble,  broken-hearted  faint  on  Earth,  according  to  law, 
that  per  feci  rule  of  right,  merits  eternal  damnation.  There 
is  no  hope,  therefore*  in  the  cale  of  a  penitent  finner,  ab- 
folutely  no  hope  at  all,  but  what  arifes  fr<  1 1  the  atonement, 
merits  and  mediation  of  Chrilt,  and  the  f. ce  grace  of 
God  through  him,  as  revealed  in  the  Gcfpel. 

This  view  of  the  mediation  of  Chrift,  may  help  us  to 
underitand  the  foil  :ipture  phrafes.     Joh.  iii.  17. 

Cod  fent  his  Son,  that  the  world  through  him  might  be 
favsd. —  1  Joh.  iv,  9.  That  tve  might  have  life  through 
h  1  m . — John  xx .  31.  lave  life  through  his  n a m t . — 
Rom.  vi.  23.  The  gift  of  Gcd  is  eternal  life  through 
jesus  christ. — icts  x.  43.  Through  his  kame^s- 
foever  beiievab  in  Him,Jball  receive  remifjion  of  fins. — 1  Cor. 
vi.  11.  Juftifed  in  the  nam 2  of  the  Lord  f  ejus. — Rom. 
v.  1.  have  peace  with  God  throw  ch  him;  ver.  9.  Saved 


56  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV. 

from  nxratb  through  him. — John  xiv,  6.  He  is  the 
way/c  the  Father  y  and  no  men  comet b  to  the  Father  but  b Y 
him. — John  x.  9.  I  am  the  door.  By  me  if  an)  man  en- 
ter in. — John  xvi.  23.  .Jh  the  Father  in  my  name. — Heb. 
vii.  25.  Ccme  to  God  BY  him. —  I  Pet.  i.  21.  By  him  do 
believe  in  Cod. — Heb.  x.  19,  20.  boldnefs  to  enter  into  the 
hcliefi  by  the  blood  of  Jefus.  By  a  new  and  living 
W  a  Yyivbicb  he  oath  confecrateafor  us.  Eph.ii.  1 8.  t  h  rou  g  h 
him  have  accej's  to  the  Father.  Chap.  v.  20.  Giving  thanks 
always  for  ail  things  unto  God  and  the  Father ,  in  the 
name  of  our  Lord  J  ejus  Chrijl. —  I  Pet.  ii.  5.  offer  up  Jpi- 
ritualjacrifces  acceptable  to  God  EY  Jesus  christ . — Eph. 
i.  6.  made  us  acceptable  in  the  beloved. —  2  Cor.  v.  18, 
19.  God  hath  reconciled  us  into  himfelf  ey  jesus  christ. 
God  <was  in  christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himjelf. 

For  as  the  Mediation  of  Chrift  was  deiigned  to  fecure 
the  divine  honour,  and  open  a  way  for  the  exercife  of  divine 
grace  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  and  as  he  hath 
finimed  the  work  appointed  him  to  do  ;  fo  through  him 
God  can  confidently  with  his  honour,  call  and  invite  a 
guiltv  world  to  return  ard  be  reconciled,  and  can  Hand 
ready  to  pardon  and  receive  to  favour,  and  give  eternal 
life  to  all  that  come  to  him  in  Chriil's  nsme.  And  whofo- 
ever  fhali  hear  God's  call,  understand  and  believe  the  Gof- 
pel,  may  fee  fufficient  warrant  to  come,  may  have  boldnej's  to 
enter  into  the  holiejl  by  the  blood  of  fefus,  to  come  to  God  by 
him;  and  fuch  iha.ll  be  juflified  in  his  name,  freely  by  di- 
vine grace  through  the  redemption  -ivhich  is  in  Chriji  Jefus, 
be  accepted  ihemielves  in  the  beloved,  and  their  ipiritual 
facriiices  be  acceptable  to  God  by  him,  and  through  him 
they  may  have  peace  with  God,  ar.d  rejoice  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God.  And  whatfeever  they  afk  in  his  name  mall 
be  granted.  For  through  him  they  may  have  2ccefs  to 
God.— And, 

The  feme  view  of  the  glory  of  the  holy  Majefty  of  Hea- 
ven and  Earth,  which  brings  us  to  fee,  that  God  and  his 
Jaw  are  wholly  right,  and  our  difa flection  and  rebellion 
wholly  wrong,  and  infinitely  criminal  and  fo  to  fee  cur  need 
of  ChriiVs  Mediation,  rightecufnefs  and  atonement  ;  at 
the  fame  time,  difcovers  God  to  be  the  fupreme  good, 
ar.d  the  Gcfpel  to  be  true.  In  confequence  of  which,  it 
appears  cur  higheft  duty  and  higheft  intereft  to  return  to 
God,   the  fitted  and  happieft  thing  in  the  world.     This 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND   WORK.  57 

begets  an  inclination  to  return  to  God  as  our  fovcrcign 
Lord  and  fupreme  good.  And  to  a  foundation  for  rep'ent- 
ance  towards  God  and  faith  towards  Our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift, 
and  for  every  filial  grace,  is  at  once  laid  in  th  I. 

We  return  to  God  in  Chriit's  name,  confcio'uS  eternal 
deftru&ion  is  our  juft  defert.  Our  courage,  our  boidnefs, 
even  all  our  hope  of  acceptance,  is  from  the  mere  grace 
and  infinite  goodnefs  of  God  through  Jefus  Chriii.  Hell 
our  due,  we  look  only  to  free  grace  through  the  redemption 
which  is  in  J>jas  Chriji.  Our  whole  dependence  refts  here: 
And  this  is  what  St.  Paul  calls,  Faith  in  Chriji*  s  bleed.  It 
implies  an  understanding  and  belief  of  the  report  of  the 
Gofpel,  as  to  the  nature  of  Chriit's  Mediatorial  office  and 
work,  and  an  exercife  of  heart  towards  the  Mediator,  an- 
fwerablc  to  the  nature  of  his  office  and  work,  calieJ  receiv- 
ing him,  and  believing  in  his  name  ;  and  denoted  by 
thofe  phrafes  io  often  ufed  in  the  New  Teihment,  when 
fpeaking  of  a  Sinner's  coming  to  God  by  Curif,  through 
Chriji,  in  the  name  of  Chriji .  For  to  come  to  God  bv 
Chriji,  through  Chriji,  in  the  name  of  Chriji ,  and  by  Faith 
in  ChrijVs  blood,  are  all  of  the  fame  import. 

To  lay,  that  Faith  confiits  in  '*  the  bare  belief  of  the  bare 
truth,"  without  admitting  any  other  idea  into  its  definition, 
does  not  come  up  to  the  plain  purport  of  thefe   phrafes, 
which  evidently  denote  a  dependence  on  him  as  Mediator* — - 
To  come  to  God  in  his  name,  by  him  and  through  him,  who 
is  the  appointed  Mediator  between  God  and  Man,   is  not 
only  to  believe  him  to  be  fuch,   but  alfo  to  bo  affected  to- 
wards him  as  fuch,  in  all  our  approaches  to  God.    It  is  not 
only  to  believe  him  to  be  the  Meffiah,  but  to  believe  in  his 
name  as  fuch,  and  to  have  hldnefi  to  enter  into  the  holiefi  by 
his  blood.  ( i ) 

(i)  Object. —To  come  to  God  in  the  name  ofChrlft  is 
the  fruit  of  Faith,  and  not  that  Faith  itfefj by  which  we  are 
Jujtifed.  He  who  belte-ves  the  Go/pel  to  be  true  has  the  wh-jU 
of  that  which  t  e  New  Tefiament  means  by  j-'Jlfying  Faith, 
He  will  come  to  Chriji,  and  come  to  God  in  the  name  cf  Cbrif  ; 
but  thefe  are  the  fruits  of  Faith,  and  net  Faith  itfeif. 

Ani  w.—  Z  grant  thefe  are  the  fruits  of  Faith.  That  is, 
the  fruits  of  a  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  Gofpel.     But  the  quef 

tion  is  Jlill  undetermined,   which  is  this -Does  not  the  Aeu- 

G 


5S  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV. 

Should  a  foidier,  belonging  to  the  army  of  Prince  Fer- 
dinand, ileal  away  into  the  iJruflian  carr.p,  and  attempt  to 
murder  that  noble  hero,  the  King  of  Pruhia,  to  whcfe  glory 
Prince  Ferdinand  is  moft  firmly  attached.  Should  this 
wicked  foidier  be  apprehended,  condemned  to  die,  and 
brought  forth  to  the  gallows.  And  while  both  armies  are 
afTembled  to  fee  the  execution,  and  agreed  to  cry,  *'  away 
with  fuch  a  vile  fellow  from  the  Earth,  he  is  not  ht  to  live," 
fhould  Prince  Ferdinand  irep  forth,  and  before  all  the  mul- 

Tcfiamcnt  mean  to  comprehend  this  belief  and  thefe  fruits  of  it, 
in  jvftifying  Faith  ?  Or  does  this  belief  jijlify  a  Sinner  prior 
to  tbeje  (Jfeds  ?  Our  Saviour  f aid,  Ye  will  not  come  to  me 
that  ye  might  have  life.  If  a  bare  belief  that  the  was  the 
MeJJiab  entitled  to  eternal  life,  then  one  who  believed  this  bad 
a  title  to  eternal  life  before  be  came  to  him,  and  iffo,  be  had 
7:0  need  to  come  to  him  that  he  might  ba<ve  life.  Our  Saviour 
directed  his  Difciples  to  afk  all  things  of  the  Father  in  his 
name.  He  alju  taught  them  every  day  to  pray,  Forgive  us 
cur  debts. — i^uery. — Hew  can  we  go  to  God  in  the  name  of 
Chriji  for  the  pardon  cf  daily  tranj'grejjions,  if  pardon  is  not  10 
be  obtained  this  way.  If  pardon  is  had  "  by  a  bare  belief  of 
the  bare  truth,"  we  are  net  in  the  belief  of  the  truth  to  affor 
pardon  in  the  name  tf  Chrifi,  becaufe  we  are  pardoned  already. 
j4nd  Jo  nue  are  never  to  o.Jk  pardon  in  iue  name  of  Chriji  at 
all.  Before  we  believe  the  Gcfpel  we  cannot  do  it :  and  when 
we  believe  the  Gofpel,  it  is  too  late  ;  for  aye  are  pardoned  al- 
ready, slnd  if  we Jui,  as  we  daily  do,  ice  mvft  never  lak  to 
God  in  the  name  cf  Chriji  for  pardon,  repent  and  pray,  look- 
ing toward  the  holy  Temple,  as  the  "jews  were  direcled  to 
do,  (\  Kin.  viii.)  but  only  believe  the  Gofpel  to  be  true.  That 
is,  believe  that  there is  fcrgivenej's  with  God  th  re  ugh  the  atone- 
ment. But  we  are  not  to  fay ,  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God, 
according  to  thy  loving  kindnefs  ;  according  to  the  mul- 
titude of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot  out  my  tranfgrcflions. — 
For  this  is  fomething  mere  than  "a  bare  belif  of  the  bare 
truth."  And ' fo  is  not  proper  in  order  to  obtain  pardon.  And 
fo  neither  at  Jirji  conversion,  nor  through  the  ccurfe  of  our  lives , 
have  we  any  occafon,  nor  ought  we  to  look  up  to  God  in  the 
name  of  Chriji,  and  pray,  Jawing,  forgive  us  our  debts.  We 
niujl  only  believe  the  GoJ'pel  to  be  true,  and  in  this  belief,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Sandeman,  we  are  to  be  perfectly  "  pajjive," 
**  no  act,    exertion,  or  excrcife  of  the  human  mind"    is   to  be 


SEC.  IV.]       MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND   WORK.         59 

titude  juftify  the  law  by  which  he  is  condemned  to  die,  and 
offer  a  ranfom  for  his  life  to  the  acceptance  of  his  Pruf- 
fian  Majefty  ;  and  then  turning  to  this  wicked  foldier, 
fhould  he  declare,  "O  guilty  wretch!  repent  of  this  thy 
wickednefs,  and  on  thy  knees  afk  pardon  of  his  Pruffiati 
Majefly  in  my  name,  and  thy  fin  fliall  be  blotted  out  :" — 
Would  not  the  meaning  of  the  words  be  eafy  to  the  tfnder- 
ftanding  of  all  the  aflembled  multitude  ?  Not  his  repent- 
ance, nor  his  afking  pardon  in  prince  Ferdinand's  name, 
do  in  the  leafl  counterbalance  his  crime,  or  pay  a  ranfom 
for  his  life.  Prince  Ferdinand's  mediation,  ranfom  and 
declaration,  are  the  folc  foundation  of  hope  to  the  guilty 
wretch.  Emboldened  by  thefe,  he  falls  at  his  Pruffian 
Majefty's  feet,  and  with  a  penitent  heart,  looks  up  to  hirn 
for  pardon  in  Prince  Ferdinand's  name.  And,  in  this  way, 
is  forgiven,  fimply  onPrii.ce  Ferdinand's  account.  (1 ) — 
But  no  fimilitude  from  earthly  things  can  fully  reach  the 
cafe  before  us,  becaufe  the  infinite  dignity  of  the  great 
King  of  the  Univerfe,  againft  whom  we  have  rebelled, 
not  only  renders  our  paft,  but  even  our  prefent  guilt,  ir.ii- 
nitely  great.    The  true  convert  therefore  not  only  deferves 

in  the  evffait.  For  pardon  at  fitft  eomierjhn,  and  after --:crds 
is,  he  grants,  to  be  obtained  in  the  fame  way.  ( Letters  on  T>  e~ 
ro;i.  p.  4 1  8. J  A  wrong  notion  of  the  Go/pel,  lead  Ma.  S.  to 
this  wrong  notion  of  Faith.  For  if  this  he  the  Jum  cfthc  Gcf- 
pel, "There  is  for  given  ef  with  Gcd  for  impenitent  Sinners 
through  the  atonement,  to  be  by  Gcd  difpenfed  according  to  his 
fo-oereign  pleafure,  in  a  fovereign  way  :  Then  in  the  nature  cf 
things,  there  is  ground  only  for  a  pajji-ve  belief  cf  this  truth." 
There  is  in  fiSi  no  room  for  any  "  ylcl,  exert ion ,  or  exercife  cf 
the  human  mind,''''  in  the  affair.  But  if  the  Gcfpel  re-veals 
God  as  ready  to  Be  reconciled  to  all  that  come  to  him  in  the 
name  of  Chrijl,  then  no  fooncr  do  1  belie-ve  the  Gcfpel  to  he  true, 
but  I  alfo  come  to  him  in  the  name  of  Chvif.  .<Js  to  whet  is 
implied  in  the  declaration  cf  the  Gofpel.  fee  Seel.  VII  and  VIII, 
If  it  Jhould  appear,  that  there  is  no  forgiuenefs  with  God  for 
impenitent  Sinners,  while  fuch,  Mr.  S.jcheme,  mujl  be  cjlta.-rd 
fr.  :dr.  nentaUf  wrong. 

( j )    But  jhculd  the  niched  foldier  be  too  fomachful  to  fall 
upon  his  knees  and  afn  pardon  in  Prince  Ferdinand^  name,  his 
belief,  that  in  this  way  pardon  might  be  obtained,  would  r.ct 
G  2 


t>0  THE  DESIGN  OF  CHRIST'S  [SEC.  IV. 

eternal  damnation  in  the  higheft  exercifes  of  repentance, 
every  whit  as  much  as  he  did  before,  according  to  law  and 
ce  :  but  alfo  deferves  eternal  damnation  afrefh 
5  attending  his  very  repentance.  The 
blood  of  Chrift,  and  the  gracious  declarations  cf  the  Gcfpel, 
are  therefore  in  an  eminent  and  peculiar  fenfe,  the  only 
^foundation  of  hope  there  is  in  his  cafe. — But  of  this  more 
afterwards. 

VII.  If  the  defign  of  Chrift's  Mediatorial  Office,  labours 
r.nd  fufrerings,  was  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  and  if 
hereby  he  has  opened  a  way  for  the  honourable  exercife  of 
divine  grace  towards  Sinners  ;  then  on  the  crofs  of  Chrift 
every  motive,   every  encouragement  to  repentance  for  fin, 

entitle  him  to  it,  but  rather  render  bun  the  meft  inexcufable  ?nc.n 
ali<ve. — So  bad  an  Israelite,  bitten  with  a  fiery  fir  pent,  be- 
lieved >  that  ibhofoqver  looked  up  to  the  brazen  fcrpent  Jhoidd  be 
healed,  but  not  defiring  a  cure,  Jhould  he  refiufe  to  look  up,  his 
belief  wruld  not  have  healed  him,  Sc  had  Peters  hearers,  on  the 
day  of  Pentic.fi,  when  pricked  at  the  heart  to  think  that  they 
had  murdered  the  M.  fab,  refufed  to  repent  and  be  baptized  in 
the  Name  of  jefus  Chrift;  not  wit  hfi  an  ding  the  call  they  had, 
their  belief  that  he  was  the  MeJ/luh,  and  that  there  was  for- 
givenefs  with  God  through  his  name,  would  net  have  entitled 
thejn  to  pardon.  And  therefore,  "a  bare  belief  of  the  bare 
truth"  is  not  the  whole  rf  what  is  comprized  in  the  fcripture  no- 
tion of  Jufiifying  Faith.  But,  f  ys  Mr.  Sandeman,  (Letters  on 
i'htron,  p.  417 .)  "if  mere  than  a  bare  per juafion  of  the  truth 
be  admitted  as  requifte  to  jufiificaticu"  the  whole  cf  Chrifii- 
ahtty  is  o-vertl.rown : — to  which  it  may  be  avfwered,  that  Pe- 
ter made  repentance  requifite,  Ad.  ii.  38.  &  Hi.  19. — But 
fays  Mr.  Sandeman,  "  the  fincere  penitent  may  be  fa^ved  with- 
out any  Chrift  or  atonement  at  all — p.  89,  C5V.  No  :  Peter  not 
only  J aid,  repent,  but  alfo,  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  jefus 
Chriil  for  the  re  million  of  fins  :  And  conftantly  afirmed,  that 
there  is  no  other  name  whereby  we  mult  be  faved  :  Peter's 
penitents,  therefore,  could  be  faved  only  in  the  name  of  Chrift. 
But  to  fay  that  repentance  is  before  ficrghvenefis,  overthrows 
the  whole  Gof pel  in  Mr.  Sandeman' 's  'view;  and  indeed  it 
docs  overthrow  his  whole  Gafpel,  viz.  That  there  is  forgi-ve- 
tis/'s  with  God  through  the  atonement,  for  penitent  Sinners, 
while  inch,  before  an)  ad,  exercife,  or  exertion  of  the  mind. — 
Jjut  of  this  more  in  Sect.  V.  and  Vlll. 


.SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE   AND   WORK.  6l 

and  a  hearty  reconciliation  to  God,  is  collected  and  brought 
to  a  point.  God  is  declared  to  be  an  abfolutely  periccl, 
an  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  infinitely  worthy 
of  fupreme  love  and  honour,  and  univerfal  obedience  : — 
The  divine  law  is  declared  to  be  holy,  juit,  good  and  glo- 
rious :  Our  difaffe&ion  and  rebellion  to  be  altogether 
groundlefs  and  infinitely  criminal:  and  yet  we  have  the 
iulleir.  proof,  that  God  is  ready  to  forgive,  through  the 
blo--d  of  his  own  S<n,  all  thoie  who  repent  and  return  to 
him,  in  the  name  of  Chrift.  In  which  all  the  motives  and 
encouragements  to  repentance  and  reconciliation  are  virtu- 
ally comprized.  Had  the  Son  of  God  died,  btcaufe  the 
law  was  100  fevere,  to  purchafe  abatements,  &c.  the  crofs 
of  Chriit  itfelf,  had  jullified  our  difafie&ion  to  that  perfect 
rule  of  right,  and  our  enmity  to  the  Divine  character  there- 
in exhibited.  The  crofs  of  Chriit  had  declared,  that  we 
were  rig  tit,  and  that  God  was  wrong.  But  when  he  obey:; 
the  law  himfeif,  and  in  his  own  body  bears  its  curfe  en 
the  tree,  in  our  room  and  ilead,  becaufe  the  law  was  good, 
to  do  it  honour  ;  if  we  iliil  object  we  have  no  cloak  for  our 
fin.  Nay,  we  muit  give  up  our  objections,  or  renounce  Chlif- 
tianity.  To  believe  the  Gofpel  to  be  true,  is  to  give  up 
all  our  objections  as  impious  and  blafphemous  ;  to  ac- 
knowledge God  to  be  wholly  right,  and  take  all  the  blame 
to  ourfelves.  To  come  cordially  into  the  import  of-Chrift's 
death,  is  to  look  upon  God  as  infinitely  glorious,  and  our- 
felves as  infinitely  odious.  Truths  feaied  by  that  blood 
which  made  atonement,  and  opened  a  way  for  cur  pardon. 
And  if  God  is  infinitely  worthy  of  fupreme  love  and  honor 
and  univerfal  obedience  ;  and  if  we  never  had  any  reafen 
to  be  difaftected  to  him  ;  and  if  our  rebellion  from  fid!  to 
iaft  has  been  entirely  groundlefs;  nay,  infinitely  criminal  ; 
and  if  yet  after  all,  God  is  ready  to  forgive  us  on  Chrift's 
account,  and  invites  us  toretunrand  be  reconciled  through 
him,  and  offers  in  this  way  to  become  our  God  and  Fa- 
ther for  ever  :  What  farther,  by  way  of  motive  or  encou- 
ragement, can  be  prefentcd  before  our  minds,  to  induce  us  to 
repent  and  be  converted,  to  return  and  be  reconciled  to 
God  ?  And  yet,  all  this  is  fet  in  the  ftrongeit  point  of  light 
on  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  if  he  died,  becaufe  the  law  was  good, 
to  do  it  honour. Compare  Rom.  iii.  25,  26,  and  2  Cor, 

V.   20,    21. 

G     3 


62  THE   DESIGN  OF   CHR7ST?S  fsEC.   IV. 

There  can  now,  therefore,  be  nothing  but  our  difinciir.a- 
tion  to  a  reconciliation  to  God,  that  can  be  as  a  bar  in  the  way 
of  cur  return,  lor  on  God's  fide,  all  flings  are  read) ,  raid 
he  invites  us  to  come.  His  oxen  and  failings  are  killed ;  the 
feaft  is  prepared,  the  doors  of  hi>  houfe,  the  gates  of 
Heaven  ;.re  open,  and  we  apoftate  Hell-dcferving  rebels 
have  not  only  free  liberty  to  return  to  our  allegiance,  but 
are  urged,  are  bef.ee!. ed,  and  that  by  God  himlelf  and  by 
his  Son,  to  be  reconciled. — Every  beauty  meets  in  the  Di- 
vine character,  Mid  every  exccliercy  in  his  government, 
our  ciifaffeelion  is  not  only  groundlefs,  but  infinitely  cri- 
minal ;  and  all  this  is  declared,  is  fealed  and  confirmed, 
by  the  very  blood  that  was  fhed  to  make  atonement.  No- 
thing,  th?i(f .,re,  can  keep  us  back  but  cur  own  hearts,  ncr 
can  the  fiuk  be  any  where  but  in  ourfelves.  How  inexcu- 
ur  guilt,  How  aggravated  our  damnation,  if,  af:er 
nil,   we  reiufe  to  return  and  be  reconciled  ! 

Ould  any  fay,  ««  I  do  look  upon  the  Divine  law,  holy, 
juft  and  good  :  and  1  feel  reconciled  to  God." — Well :  but 
how  came  thi".  to  pafs  ?  "1  believed  myfelf  delivered  from 
the  curie,  and  that  God  was  reconciled  to  me." — If  this 
\-  all,  you  are  ilill  blind  and  c'.eaf  to  the  import  of  the  crofs 
of  Chrift,  which  declares  the  Divine  character  to  be  per- 
fect in  beauty,  and  his  law  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  pre- 
vious to  the  confederation  of  our  being  pardoned  ;  and  that 
(  ur  difaffection  to  the  Divine  character  and  government 
was  ioexcufable  and  infinitely  criminal  ;  and  would  have 
remained  io,  had  we  never  been  forgiven.  'Tis  not  the 
Divine  character  and  government,  therefore,  you  are  re- 
conciled to;  but  the  whele  of  your  reconciliation  confifU 
in  d  belief  that  you  are  fafe.  And  this  is  not  to  be  recon- 
ciled lo  God  ;  it  is  only  to  love  yourfelf. — "  But  it  is  un- 
fit flible  I  mould  be  reconciled  to  God  on  any  other  ground." 
— That  is,  impofiible  you  fhould  look  on  the  Dhine  cha- 
racter and  government  perfect  in  beauty,  without  a  ble- 
rnifh,  ahhoogh  thu.f  declared  to  be,  on  the  crofs  of  Chrift, 
and  the  dechration  fealed  with  the  blood  of  Gcds's  own 
£©n  — Chrift  died  /;  eamkmn  your  fin ,  to  declare  your  dif- 
aiFe&ion  infinitely  vile:  you  extenuate  your  fin,  and  juftify 
your  difaffeclion  :  rmd  cry*'  it  is  impofiible  1  fhould  do 
citherwiie.  impofiible  to  look  upon  God  as  a  lovely  being, 
rnly  in  belief  of  his  love  to  you."  Which  is  implicitly  to 
fay,  that  there  is  "no  Lo?elinefs  in  the  Divine  nature  only 


SEC.  IV.]      MEDIATORIAL  OFFICE  AND  WORK  63 

on  account  of  his  love  to  you." — And  To,  if  you  are  damn- 
ed, God  will  be  no  longer  God.  Language  nat  of  an 
humble  penitent,  but  of  an  haughty  rebel  :  not  harmo- 
nizing with  ihe  import  of  the  croifi  of  Chrift;  but  exactly 
the  reverfe.  For  had  it  not  been  a  becoming,  glorious 
thing  in  God  to  punifn  fin  according  to  its  defert,  the 
death  of  Chrift  had  been  intiiely  needtefs. 


section   v. 

Sin  an  infinite  Evil. 

A  S  to  the  degree  cf  fault inefs  there  is  in  &»,  or  in 
•**■  other  words,  as  to  the  degree  of  blame- worthir.efs 
there  is  in  a  creature's  becoming  difaftected  to,  and  rifing 
in  rebellion  againft  the  infinitely  glorious  God  that  made 
him,  it  cannot  be  determined  by  the  fentiments  of  the  re- 
bels themfelves,  who  will  naturally  be  apt  to  extenuate 
their  fault,  and  juftify  their  conduct.  There  is  no  i'o  eafy 
and  fafe  a  way  to  determine  this  point  with  exaclnefs,  as 
to  appeal  to  the  judgment  of  God,  who  knows  what  our 
obligations  to  obedience  precifely  are,  and  with  the  gr^atelt 
exactitude  balances  the  degree  of  our  blame.  And  oefides, 
it  is  by  hi:  judgment  this  matter  is  to  be  finally  decided. 

But  the  Divine  law,  which  is  a  tranfeript  of  the  Divine 
nature,  end  which  cxprefles  the  very  fentiments  of  his  heart, 
and  by  which  he  will  finally  judge  the  world,  in  the  pe- 
nalty it  has  threatened  to  the  tranfgrcfTor,  exactly  deter- 
mines what  God's  judgment  is  in  this  cafe.  In  which  it  is 
written,  Cur  fed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  lock  cf  the  law  to  do  them.  This  curfe  con- 
tains all  that  evil,  which  the  law  threatens,  and  which 
Chrift  came  to  deliver  us  from,  and  which  the  wicked  will 
be  doomed  to  at  the  day  of  Judgment.  What  the  wicked 
wi'l  be  doomed  to  at  the  day  cf  judgment,  when  God  will 
render  to  every  mm  according  to  his  works,  our  Saviour  has 
determined  in  the  moil  exprefs  manner  (Mat.  xxv.  41,  46.) 
Depart  from  me  ye  curfd,  into  everlajiingfre,  prepared  for  the 
Devil  and  his  angels.  And  thefe  fall  go  aivay  into  cverlaf- 
ing punt f  me nt  j  hut  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.  It  will  be 
more  tolerable  for  fomc  wicked  men  at  the  day  of  Judg- 
ment than  for  ethers,  as  fome  are  guilty  of  fewer  and  lei's 


64  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  [SEC.  V. 

aggravated  crimes.  M.it.  xi.  20,  24.  but  however  different 
the  degrees  of  pa«n  will  be  to  different  perfons,  yet  the 
mifery  or  each  one  will  be  eternal:  i.  e.  infinite  in  point 
of  duration.  For  no  one  is  ever  to  be  releafcd  out  of'  Hell. 
For  there  is  a  great  gulpb  fixed.  Luk.  xvi.  26.  and  the  fire 
zs  never  to  be  quenched,  and  the  worm  never  to  die.  Ma.  ix. 
44  46,  48.  for  the  wicked  are  to  be  puniflicd  with  ever- 
lajiing  a'vfiruaio/7,  2  Theff.  i.  9.  and  as  the  divine  law  de- 
nounces the  curfe  for  the  riril  tranfgreflicn,  for  any  one  iin  ; 
fo  there  is  confequently  no  one  breach  of  the  divine  law, 
bat  what  in  the  judgment  of  God  delerves  everlailing  mif- 
ery.  Bat  everlafting  mifery  is  an  infinite  punifhment. — 
And  therefore  in  the  judgment  of  God  there  is  an  infinite 
evil  in  fin.  Yea,  there  is  no  one  tranfgreffion  of  the  Divine 
law,   but  what  is  infinitely  evil. 

And  it  mart  be  remembered,  that  this  law,  in  which  the 
Judge  of  all  the  Earth  threatens  eternal  mifery  for  any  one 
tranfgre&dn,  for  not  continuing  in  all  things,  was  in  force 
and  binding  on  all  mankind,  antecedently  to  a  confidera- 
tion  of  the  gift  of  Chrilr.  and  the  work  of  redemption  by 
him  :  and  was  by  God  efUemed  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good : 
and  the  whole  world,  Jew  and  Gentile,  were  by  him  looked 
upon  as  guilty,  their  mouths  itopped  without  excufe,  no  ob- 
jection againft  his  law,  no  plea  in  their  own  behalf  to  make: 
not  one  word  to  fay.  And  in  this  view,  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son  to  die  in  their  ftead.  To  deny  this,  is  to 
renounce  the  Gcfpel.  And  all,  who  believe  that  Chrift 
died  £0  fave  Sinners  from  the  eternal  torments  of  Hell, 
mult  grant,  that  antecedent  to  a  confederation  of  his  death, 
they  were  juftly  expofed  to  fuch  a  puuiihment,  as  otherwife 
his  death  for  this  end  had  been  needlefs.  But  if  they  were" 
juftly  expofed  to  fuch  a  punifhment  antecedently  to  a  con- 
fideration  of  his  death,  then  fin,  previous  to  a  confideration 
of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel,  was  an  infinite  evil. But 

I.  If  fin  is  an  infinite  evil,  antecedently  to  a  confidera- 
ticn  of  the  gift  of  Chrift,  then  God  is  infinitely  worthy  of 
fupreme  love  and  univerfal  obedience  from  us,  confidered 
merely  as  being  what  he  is  in  himfelf  and  our  Creator. — 
For  if  he  is  not  infinitely  worthy,  we  cannot  be  infinitely 
obliged.  And  if  our  obligations  are  not  infinite,  we  can- 
not be  infinitely  to  blame.  It  is,  therefore,  the  plain  im- 
port of  the  Divine  law,  that  the  God  who  made  us,  and 
whofe  we  are,  is  an  abfolutely  perfect,  and  fo  an  infinite]/ 


pfcC<^?j  SIN  AN  INFINITE   EVIL.  65 

glorious  and  amiable  Being.  And  that,  oil  this  account, 
we  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  love  and  obey  him. 
Therefore, 

That  love  to  God  which  arifes  merely  from  felf-love,  in 
a  belief  that  Chrift  died  forme,  that  my  fins  are  forgiven, 
and  that  I  (hall  be  faved,  is  not  that  kind  of  love  which 
the  djvine  law  requires,  but  a  love  efTentialiy  different. — 
For,  one  wholly  blind  to  the  beauty  of  the  Divine  nature, 
and  at  enmity  to  the  Divine  character  as  exhibited  in  the 
law,  and  fo  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  dead  in  fin,  mav  be  full 
of  this  kind  of  love,  even  as  full  of  it,  as  the  carnal  Israel- 
ites were  of  joy  at  the  fide  cf  the  Red  Sea. 

Anci  to  deny  that  God  is  to  be  loved  by  believers  with 
that  kind  of  love  which  the  Divine  law  requires,  is  to  fay, 
that  the  law  is  not  a  rule  of  life  to  believe! s:  it  is  to  fet 
afide  the  divine  law  and  real  holinefs ;  and  to  fubftitute 
affections  merely  felfifh  and  wholly  gracelefs  in  their  room. 
And  this  is  eflence  of  Antinomianifm. 

It  is  true,  the  gift  of  Chriir,  confidered  as  a  benefit  done 
to  us,  lays  us  under  infinite  obligations  to  love  God  with  a 
love  of  gratitude.  But  at  the  fame  time,  the  very  nature 
cf  the  gift  fuppofes,  that  we  were  before  under  infinite 
obligations  to  love  God  for  his  own  excellency,  and  infi- 
nitely to  blame  for  not  loving  hirn  ;  as  otherwife  the  gift 
of  Chrift  to  be  a  curfe  to  redeem  us  from  the  curfe  of  the 
law,  had  been  needlefs.  Now  practically  to  deny  the  in- 
finite amiablenefs  of  the  Deity,  and  our  infinite  obligations 
to  love  him,  as  fuch  ;  and  then  to  pretend  to  love  God  for 
the  gift  of  his  Son,  is  as  though  we  fhould  fay,  "  God  does 
not  deferve  the  love  the  law  requires.  The  law  was  there- 
fore an  unrighteous  law.  But  Chrift;  has  redeemed  us  from 
its  curfe,  and  we  are  glad." — Which  declaration  would  be 
a  full  proof  of  our  enmity  to  God  and  to  his  Son. 

II.  If  fin  is  an  infinite  evil,  if  not  to  love  the  infinitely 
glorious  God  our  Maker  with  all  our  hearts,  fo  as  from 
love  to  be  perfectly  obedient  to  his  will  in  thought,  word 
and  deed,  is  an  infinite  evil  ;  then  thofe  who  are  wholly 
blind  to  the  holy  beauty  of  the  divine  nature,  and  confe- 
quently  entirely  deftitute  of  true  love  and  of  true  obedi- 
ence, are  in  the  fight  of  God  it  finitely  to  blame,  for  every 
thought,  word  and  action.  The  plowing  of  the  wicked  is 
Jin.  The  prayers  of  the  wicked  are  fin.  The  facrifices  cf  the 
<v:icked  are  abomination  to  the  Lord.    They  are,  in  the  whole 


66  SIN'  AN  INFINITE   EVIL.  [sEC.   V. 

frame  cf  their  hearts,  and  in  the  whole  tenor  of  their  lives, 
contrary  to  the  Divine  law.  Rom.  viii.  7,  8.  Tbt  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  againfi  God  ;  for  it  is  net  jubjeel  to  the  la<w 
of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  So  then  they  that  are  in  the 
Jlcjh,  cannot  plcafe  God.  And  ver.  9.  this  is  the  character 
of  all  who  have  not  the  fpirit  of  Chriji.  And  therefore,  the 
whole  frame  of  their  hearts,  and  the  whole  tenor  of  their 
livrs,  is  infinitely  odious,  hateful  and  iil-deferving  in  the 
fight  of  God  ;  exactly  agreeable  to  the  import  of  the  curfe 
cf  the  Divine  law. Therefore, 

When  once  a  Sinner's  eyes  come  to  be  opened  really  to 
view  things  as  they  in  fact  are,  his  fidfe  hopes,  his  felf- 
rightecus  claims  will  be  dropped  in  a  moment ;  and  the 
juliice  of  God  in  his  damnation  be  clear  beyond  difpute. 
And  God's  ciifpofition  to  punifh  fin  according  to  Jaw,  no 
longer  appear  as  a  blemifh,  bin  rather  as  a  beauty  in  the 
Divine  character.  And  /  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will 
have  mercy,  not  an  ill,  but  rather  a  glorious  perfection  in 
theDciiy. — Howe  ver  thefe  views,  and  an  anfwerable  frame 
of  heart,  will  not  in  the  leaft  diminifh  his  defert  of  eternal 
damnation  ;  any  more  tmn  the  penitence  of  a  wilful  mur- 
derer wiil  exempt  him  f.cn  the  gallows. For, 

311.  Jffm  is  an  infinite  evil,  then  he  who  is  enlightened 
in  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jefus  Chrift,  believes  the 
Gofpe'i  wkhr.il  his  heart,  repent*  mild  is  converted,  H III 
deferves,  confidcred  as  in  himielf,  sr.J  compared  with  the 
law  of  God,  that  perfect  rule  of  right,  eternal  damnation 
as   much  as  ever  he  c!id,(  1 )    becaufe  his   preient  gcodnefs 

( 1 )  Seme  laic  writers,  in  their  %<eal  agaixft  a  fel fright  cc:s 
fpirit,  hardly  dr.re  alloav  Fa*  1  a&,   lift  it  Jhcu'.d  be 

made  a  riot,  tecufcf  of.  fuft  as  if  a  feif  righteous  heart  could 
not  make  a  rig!,  /t  ::</',.>/:  of  apajjlve  as  well  as  of  an  active 
Faiih,  and  be  as  proud  cf  his  faffivity  as  the  Pharifee  Hum  of 
his  fafii/g  twice  in  the  week.  Was  this  Paul's  nvay  to  take  down 
a  fri.ud  jcif-:  i^'rtccus  hec.rt  I  who  was  fojLiifal  end  mighty  to 
full  donun  ! — Kc — -firfom  it — be  task  quite  another  met/  cd,  a 
nut  hod  in  its  cwn  nature  apparcr.il;  failed  to  a 'fiver  the  end. 
It  twos  to  hold  forth  the  divi/c  la<w  in  all  its  Jiric'tnefs,  and 
with  all  its  cur)  s,  as  holy,  juft  and  good.  Witnefs  his  Epifile 
lc  the  Rfftnans  and  Galatians. — Not  any  diftinclion  between 
aclizc  arj.  p-flve  was  e-ver  mentioned  by  htm,  cr  has  the  leap 
tendency  to  humble  a  proud  heart .     But  to  view  ourf elves  in 


5EC.  V.]  SIN  AN  INFINITE   EVIL.  67 

docs  not  in  the  leail  counterbalance  his  former  badntf;. 
Nay,  in  (lead  of  paying  pail  debts,  he  runs  continually 
deeper  into  debt ;  as  lis  iti.il  falls  ihort  of  that  perfect  love 
and  obedience  which  he  owes  to  God.  And  fo  inllead  of 
deferving  pardon  for  old  iins,  he  merits  damnation  con- 
flaiirly  by  his  new  ones.  There  is  therefore  abfolutely  no 
hope  in  the  cafe  of  a  true  penitent,  but  trjir:  the.  mere  grace 
of  God  through  J  efus  Chrift.  On  the  foot  of  law,  there  is  no 
more  hope  in  the  cafe  of  a  penitent,  than  in  the  cafe  of  an 
impenitent  Sinner.  Becaufe  according  to  law  and  itrict 
juftice,  he  deferv.es  to  be  damned  now,  as  much  as  he  did 
before.  For  his  repentance,  whicii  is  but  of  finite  worth, 
when  caft  into  the  balance  in  oppoiition  to  his  guilt,  which 
is  infinite,  is  lighter  than  if  the  fmalleft  atom  of  matter 
were  flung  into  one  fcale,  and  the  whole  material  fyftem 
into  the  other.  For  there  is  fome  proportion  between  the 
lead:  atom  of  matter,  and  the  whole  material  fyftem  ;  but 
there  is  no  proportion  between  finite  and  infinite.  And 
therefore,  as  in  the  eye  of  law,  io  in  the  eye  of  an  enligh- 
tened conscience,  the  moil  exalted  virtue  of  the  mo  ft  emi- 
nent Saint  ilands  for  nothing:  i.  e.  is  abfolutely  of  no 
weight  at  all  in  the  leail  conceivable  degree  to  counterba- 
lance for  any  one  fin  :  And  fo  he  fenfibly  needs  Chrift  and 
free  grace  along  with  the  chief  of  Sinners. 

To  deny  this,  would  be,  virtually,  to  give  up  the  whole 
of  Divine  Revelation.  sror  in  this  view  the  Divine  law 
threatens  eternal  death,  for  any  one  trarfgreflion,  without 
leaving  any  room  for  repentance  to  alleviate  the  fentcr.ee. 
The  tranfgreiTor  is  doomed  to  eternal  mifery  without  hope. 
This  is  plain  facl.  Gal.  iii.  10.  And  this  law  is  declared 
to  be  holy,  jufl  and  good,  to  be  juft  what  in  reafon  it  ought 
to  be  ;  and  in  this  viewer'  i;  the  lav.  giver  judged  it  incon- 

the  light  of  the  Divine  taw,  w.'/I  gi-je  us  our  true  charader, 
and  let  us  fee  jufl  what  we  defer-ve  at  the  bands  of  God  our 
judge,  and  our  abfolute  need  of  Chrift  and  free  grace.  It  was 
Paul's  maxim,  the  law  is  a  fcj*ooj- mailer  to  bring  us  to 
Chrii'l.  Ncr  can  arj  man  pojjibly  fee  Lis  reed  of  Chrijl,  hut 
bv  the  law*  and  the  law  ccnjldered  as  holy,  j;ft  and  good. 
For  to  do  honour  to  the  law  as  fuch,  was  the  dtjign  cf  ChrijVs 
mediation,  15  that  without  wl  ich  his  me  ••'«;  ion  had  net  been  need- 
ful for  the  falvatio.i  of  Sinners. — And  bv  the  law,  the  moft  holy 
and  active  Saint  need*  Cbrift  as  much  as  the  chief  of  Sinntrs. 


6b'  SIN   AN  INFINITE   EVIL.  [SEC.   V. 

fluent  with  rcafcn  and  juftice,  and  therefore  inconfiftent 
with  the  honour  of  his  righteous  government,  to  exempt 
a  Sinner  from  the  threatened  punilhment,  in  virtue  of  any 
atonement  of  Ids  value  than  the  blcod  of  his  own  Son. — 
Another  plain  faft,  Rom.  iii.  2j,  26.  He,  who  denies 
thefe  two  facts,  mult  give  up  the  whole  of  divine  Revela- 
tion. And  to  grant  them,  ie  to  grant  all  that  has  been  af- 
ferted. 

It  is  pcffihle  that  a  Sinner  may  be  brought  to  repentance 
by  Divine  grace  before  he  is  forgiven.  (1)  Yea,  it  is  cer- 
tain, that  no  Sinner  ever  was  pardoned  till  he  did  repent. 
Luk.  xiii.  5.  Act.  iii.  19.  But  it  is  impoffible,  that  a  Sin- 
ner ever  fhould  be  juftiiied  under  any  other  notion,  than  as 
being  ungodly.  Rom.  iv.  5.  For  one  iin  in  the  eye  of  the 
law,  and  ib  in  the  eye  of  God  the  judge,  denominates  a 
man  ungodly,  and  fubjecls  him  to  eternal  damnation.  Gal. 
iii.  10.  Nor  can  any  future  penitency  make  any  imagina- 
ble fatisfadlion  ;  he  muft  be  juitiried  therefore  by  God,  as 
being  ungodly,  or  not  at  all. 

Let  the  ivicked  for/ake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thoughts,  end  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  ivill 
have  mercy  on  him,  arid  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  par- 
don j  was  the  language  of  the  Old-Teftament.  And  repent 
and  be  converted,  that  your  fins  /nay  be  blotted  out  ;  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  New.  Not  that  the  penitent  Jew,  on  the  foot 
of  law  and  juitice,  could  by  his  repentance  be  exempted  from 
death.  Nay,  jail  the  contrary  did  the  penitent  Jew  ac- 
knowledge, when  he  came  before  the  altar,  bringing  a 
bull  or  a  goat  to  die  in  his  room.  For  "  I  have  finned,  I 
deferve  to  die,"  was  the  import  of  his  conduit.  Not,  nei- 
ther, that  the  penitent  Christian  does  not  deferve  the  dam- 
nation of  Hell,  notwithftanding  his  penitency  ;  for  this,  in 
the  mod  explicit  manner,  is  acknowledged,  in  afking  pardon 
in  the  name  of  ChrijL  For  if  he  is  not  lb  bad,  as  to  deferve 
eternal  damnation,  he  does  not  need  that  pardon  which  the 
Gofpel  offers.  Much  lefs  does  he  need  the  Son  of  God  to 
die  in  his  ftead,  that  God  may  be  juft,  and  yet  juitify  him. 

( [)  This  all  Antinomians  deny  :  for  as  true  repentance  arifes 
from  love  to  God,   and  implies  love  to  his  law,  they  fay ,   it  is 

impoffible  to  lo-ve  God  or  his  law,  till  frjt  we  know  that  our 
fins  are  forgiven  ;  and  Jo  it  is  impoffible,  that  repentance  jhould 

take  place  before  forgive  vefs .      Of  which ,  more  L  er:  after. 


SEC.    V.]  SIN    AN    INFINITE    EVIL.  69 

So  that  to  Aft  pardon  in  the  na?ne  cf  Chrift,  is  the  moil  ex- 
plicit acknowledgement,  that  eternal  damnation  is  our  due 
by  law;  and  that  the  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  glori- 
ous law,  worthy  to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable  by 
the  obedience  and  death  or  the  Son  of  God.  (1) 

( I )  Some  of  the  chief  maxims  on  which  St.  Paulreafons  through 
out  his  Epijile  to  the  Galatians,  to  prove  thai  no  man  can  be 
jujlified  on  the  foot  of  his  own  virtue  are  theft  :  "  The  di- 
vine law  requires  iin'.cfs  perfection,  on  the  penalty  of  eter- 
nal damnation  for  the  leait  defect.  Chap.  Hi.  10.  There 
is  no  other  law  given,  ver.  21.  If  juftification  Could  have 
been  obtained  by  this  law,  the  death  of  Chrift  had  been 
needlefs.  Chap.  11.  21."  And  frtm  theft  maxims  he  cuts  off 
all  felf-rightecus  hopes  by  the  roots.  To  aftert ,  therefore,  that 
there  is  a  law  given,  by  which  a  Sinner  may  be  jufiifed  in  the 
fight  of  Crod  on  the  foot  of  his  g*wn  virtue,  port  affinlefs  per- 
fection, and  without  any  used  of  Chriji' 's  atonement,  even  on 
condition  ofjincere  repentance,  is  fatly  to  ccutradicl  the  Aprftle. 
It  is  fur  prizing  therefore  to  find  Jo  fugacious  a  vjritcr  as  Mr, 
S  and  e  man,  declaring  this  v:ith  Juch  great  a  fur  an  ce  :  And 
equally  fur  prizing  thai  he  jkould  think  to  prove  his  point  f rem 
the  xviiiUi  and  xxxiiid  chapters  cf  Ezekiel ;  vjhen  every  pi- 
ous Jezv  knew,  that  let  his  repentance  be  ever  fo  jlncere,  yet 
according  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Mofaic  difpenfatioii,  with- 
out ihedding  of  blood  there  could  be  no  remiflion.  Deut. 
xxvii.   26.    Heb.  ix  22,    See  Letters  on  There-:,  p.  89,  90. 

If it  jhould  be  enquired,  what  led  ft  learned  a  writer  to  com- 
mit fuch  a  blunder  ?  It  was  in  ftipport  of  his  leading  defiign, 
the  darling  point  in  his  fc heme,  viz.  That  there  is  fergivenejs 
with  God  through  Chrift  for  impenitent  Sinners,  while  fucb» 
before  any  ft  ad,  exercjc,  or  exertion  cf  their  minds  vvbat/b- 
everf  And  confequently  before  repentance.  A  "  pajjive  belief" 
of  w hie o  he  fayf,  "quiets  the  guilty  confidence,  begets  hope, 
and  fo  lays  a  foundation  for  love."  For  if  a  penitent* Sinner 
may  be  jujlified  on  the  foot  of  Lis  own  goodnefs,  without  anv 
refpeel  to  Chriji  and  his  atonement,  none  can  ft  and  in  any  need 
if  Chrift  and  his  atonement,  but  impenitent  Sinners.  And  fo 
his  mam  point  is  proved.  For  the  only  defign  cf  Chrift'' s  death 
cf  conftquence  mi  ft  be  to  procure  pardon  for  impenitent  Sinners 
remaining  Juch.  For  if  ever  they  jhould  be  brought  to  repent- 
ance, according  to  his  ftheme,  they  may  be  jujlified  on  the  fott 

H 


7©  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  [SEC.  V. 

If  the  divine  law  requires  that  we  love  God  with  all  our 
hearts,   and  yield  a  perfect  obedience  to  his  will ;   and  if 

tf  their  own  goodnef ,  without  any  need  of  Chrijl  cr  his  atonement . 
And  accordingly  his  good  man  is  never  brought  to  true  repent- 
ance. "  All  his  godlinefs  confijis  in  love  to  that  which  firjt  re- 
lieved him."  (Letters  to  Mr.  Pike,  p.  8.  J  and  therefore  his 
godlinefs  does  net  at  all  confijl  in  love  toGod'  slaw,  without  which 
there  can  be  no  true  repentance.  And,  therefore,  he  can  by  no  means 
allow  that  the  cxixth  Pjalm  gives,  the  character  of  David,  or 
is  applicable  to  any  other  good  man,  becaufe  it  abounds  with 
j'uch  exprefjions  of  love  to  God'' 's  law.  'To  whom  then  muji  it 
be  applied?  to  Chrijl :  he  fays  ;  forgetting  what  the  pjalmiji 
had  j aid,  ver.  67,  before  1  was  atiiidted  1  went  altray. — 
Which  is  a  full  proof  that  Chrijl,  who  never  went  ajlray,  is 
not  the  per f on  fpoken  tf.   (Letters  on  Theron,  p.  55,  W]). 

But  from  Mr.  Saudeman's  manner  of  reajoning  (p.  US.  J  it 
is  eafy  to  forejee,  that  he  will  ebjeel,  that  if  repentance  is  be- 
fore for  givenefs ,  no  child  of  Adam  can  be  forgiven.  For  ac- 
cording to  him,  this  fets  pardon  "  as  high  above  the  reach  of 
one  whoje  confcier.ee  is  awake,  as  the  perfection  required  by  tee 
Divine  lavj  itfelf.  It  muji  ccjl  me  as  much  Labour  to  con* 
within  the  reach  cf  it,  as  to  conform  my  heart  to  the  law  of 
God.  Of  all  corruptions  of  the  Gcfpel,  this  is  the  mcji  dan- 
gerous.," — However,  he  may  be  told,  that  dangerous  as  he 
thinks  it  is,  the  G  of  pel  was  thus  corrupted,  if  he  will  call  it 
by  that  name,  by  Chrijl  and  his  ApcjUcs,  who  always  taught , 
that  repentance  is  before  forgivencjs,  as  wilt  be  proved  in  ike 
fequel.  And  if  he  is  for  an  eajier  way  to  Heaven  than  Chrijl 
and  his  Apojlles  taught,  it  is  no  good  fign.  Rather,  it  is  tie 
grand  charaSlerijlic  of  a  popular  prcaa,>:r,  how  odious  fecver 
the  name  may  found  in  his  ears.  So  our  Saviour  declares,  Math. 
i'ii.  13,  14,  15. 

If  he  jhould further  objercl,  thai  the  plain  defgn  of  the  prophet 
Ezekie) was  to  convince  the  f elf -righteous  Jews  in  Babylon,  that 
if  they  perijhed  in  their  fins,  the  fault  wc  uld  be  wholly  in  then: — 
I  readily  grant  it.  And  one  way  he  takes,  to  work  this  ccn- 
viclion  in  them,  is  to  call  upon  them  to  repent,  aJJ'erting  that 
there  is  a  fare  connexion  between  repentance  ana  forgivenejs. 
Which  was  no  new  doftrixe,  as  appears  from  Ltv.'xxvi.  40,  42- 
1  Kin.  viii.  46,  $c—Prcv.xxviii.  13 — lfai.h>.  7 — Jer.  iv. 
4.  Tee  only  question  is,  whether  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  was  mistaken,   or  not,  in  affirming,  that  under 


SEC.   V.]  SIN   AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  J I 

our  original  natural  obligations  to  love  and  obey  him  are 
fo  great,  that  according  to  reafon  and  juftice,  we  deierve 
eternal  wrath  for  the  leall  defect  ;  and  if  we  rr.eafure  our- 
felves  by  this  rule,  and  judge  of  our  character  and  defer:  by 
this  irandard,  inftead  of  finding  any  thing  about  ouifelves 
to  recommend  us  to  God,  we  lhall  feel  that  we  are  infi- 
nitely worthy  of  the  divine  wrath.  And  the  more  penitent 
any  Saint  in  this  world  is,  the  more  fenfible  he  will  be  that 
this  is  the  truth.  And  accordingly  Saint  Paul,  who  was 
doubtlefs  the  moil  humble,  penitent,  broken-hearted  Saint 
that  ever  lived,    viewing  things   in  this  lignt,  felt,  after 

ihe  Mofaic  difpenfation,  without  medding  of  blood  there  vtas 
no  remiffion.  Hcb.  ix.  22. 

Befides,  if  God  could,  conf stent  with  the  honour  cf  his  go- 
vernment, have  granted  remiffion  of  fins  to  a  fine  ere  penitent, 
without  any  atonement  y  by  parity  of  reafon,  ue  ?night  alfo  as 
well,  have  granted  repentance, 'without  any  atonement.  Wnd 
fo  the  death  of  Christ  was  wholly  needlefs.  Sinners  might  lave 
had  repentance  and  remiffion  cf  fins,  and  eternal  life,  as  well 
without,  as  with  it.  And  thus  Chriff.  is  dead  in  vain,  and 
Christianity  overthrown  on  Mr.  Sakdemun's  fcheme.  For  if 
the  death  of  Chrijt  was  needlefs,  the  Gofpel,  which  brings  us 
the  news  of  his  death,  is  a  fiction.  For  it  mujl  have  been 
fbelifhnefs  and  not  the  wifdom  of  God  ;  it  mvf  have  been  in- 
conjijlent  with  every  divine  perfection  for  God  to  have  given 
his  Son  to  die,  had  his  death  been  needlefs. — Mr.  Sand,  man 
therefore  mu ft  give  up  his  prefent  fcheme,  or  give  up  the  Gofpel, 
or  be  inccnfjlent. — But  how  was  itpojjible,  that  Mr.  S.jhould 
rightly  under jl and  and  cordially  believe  the  Scripture  doctrine 
of  atonement,  while  his  mind  was  fo  full  cf  prejudice  againjl 
the  divine  law  ?  Indeed  he  has  not  expreffed  his  enmitv 
fgainfl  the  divine  law  in  fuch  a  fiocking  manner  as  Mr.  Cud- 
nu  rth  has  done  ;  but  to  an  attentive  reader  it  ma,  be  plain, 
they  both  view  it  in  the  fame  point  of  light :  in  itft'f  an  ugly 
law.  And  all  their  love  to  God  and  his  lazv  arijes  merely  from 
a  belief  or  hope  they  are  delivered  from  its  curfe  :  or  rather 
Jir icily  f peaking,  they  have  r.o  love  to  God  or  to  his  law  ;  but 
as  Mr.  S.  accurately  expreffes,  "all  his  Godlinefs  co>fiJls  in  love 
to  that  which  fir/i  relieved  him,"  viz.  a  belief  there  was  for- 
givenefs  with  God  for  impenitent  Sinners,  while  fuch.  This 
he  loved ;  and  this  love  is  the  whole  of  his  reiip-ion. 

H    2      J  g 


~2  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  [SEC.  V. 

all  his  attainments,  that  he  flood  in  as  abfclute  need  of 
Chrift  and  free  grace,  as  any  otbe*  Sinner  in  the  world. — 
I  through  the  lu-ic  an  dead  to  the  laiv.  1  count  all  things  iut 
h/s,  that  I  Utia  Cbrij},  a  >:d  be  found  in  hi/?;.  And  in  this 
view  he'ftrenuoufly  aifened,  that  by  the  deeds  of  the  la-zu  no 
flejb  could  bejufiified  in  the  fight  of  God.  Not  one  more  than 
another:  not  himfelf,  mctfetnan  the  vilcft  wretch  on  earth. 

Wherefore,  if  fairing  Faith  implies  in  its  nature,  repent- 
ance and  ccnverficn,  and  contains  the  feeds  of  every  Ciirif- 
ii an  grace  ;  yet  it  can  have  no  influence  into  our  j unifica- 
tion in  the  fight  of  God,  as  our  virtue  :  Becaufe  confi- 
dered  as  fuch,  it  is  of  no  weight  to  counterbalance  our 
blame,  if  our  blame  be  infinitely  great ;  no  weight  at  all. 
The  Ieaft  fand  in  an  hour  glafs,  would  do  more  towards 
counterbalancing  the  whole  material  fyflem,  all  put  into 
one  fcale,  than  the  Faiths  repentance,  and  all  the  other 
graces  of  the  befi:  Saint  in  the  world,  would  towards  coun- 
terbalancing the  fmalldl  fin  ;  if  the  fmalieft  fin  is  an  infi- 
nite evil.  And  if  we  fay,  **  that  the  leaft  fin  is  not  an  in- 
finite evil,"  we  mud,  to  be  coniilient,  give  up  the  divine 
law,  and  with  that,  the  whole  of  divine  Revelation. 

We  can  bejuflifed  by  Faith,  therefore,  no  otherwife  than 
as  Faith  is  that,  on  our  part,  whereby  we  are  united  to 
Chrift,  and  fo  become  interefled  in  him,  in  whom  alone, 
God  is  well  pleafed.  Whofe  righteoufnefs  and  atonement 
alone  are  fufiicient  to  fatisfy  for  our  guilt,  and  qualify  us 
for  the  divine  favour  and  eternal  life.  Even  as  a  woman 
is  interefled  in  her  hniband's  eihite  by  marriage,  not  as  it 
is  an  act  of  virtue  in  her  to  marry  him  ;  but  as  hereby  (he 
is  united  to  him,  and  becomes  one  with  him.  'Tis  true, 
in  the  very  act  of  marriage,  in  which  a  woman  receives  a 
man  for  her  huiband,  and  gives  herfelf  to  him  as  his  wife, 
all  matrimonial  duties  are  virtually  implied  :  and  as  ye  have 
received  Chrifi  cJcfls  t^e  Lord,  fo  walk  ye  in  him,  (Gal.  ii. 
6)  is  the  fum  of  Chriflianity  :  But  it  is  not  the  engage- 
ment of  thofe  matrimonial  duties,  nor  is  it  the  performance 
of  them/  which,  under  the  notion  of  a  virtue,  entitles  her 
to  her  hufbind's  eilare  :  (he  is  interefted  in  her  hufband's 
efta'e  fimp'iy  by  virtue  of  the  relation  which  tr.kes  place  in 
me  triage.  They  two  then  become  one  flefli.  And  fo  one 
comm>  u  intereir  commences.  Eph.  v.  32.  This  is  a  great 
m fiery,  is  a  lively  emblem  of  our  union  with  Chrift.  For 
by  a  true  and  lively  Faith,  which,  in  contradiftinc~tion  from 


SEC.   V.]  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  *] $ 

a  dead  Faith,  contains  every  Chriilian  grace  in  embryo 
we  are  united  to  Chriil,  as  the  branch  is  to  the  vine,  as  the 
members  of  the  body  are  to  the  head,  as  the  wife  is  to  her 
hufband  ;  in  confequence  of  which  union,  and  not  for  our 
goodnefs,  we  are  accepted  in  God's  beloved  Son,  and  that 
fimply  on  the  account  of  his  atonement  and  merits.     And 

to  ufe  another  of  Saint  Paul's  limiiiuides A  Jew  had  a 

title  to  an  inheritance  in  the  land  of  Canaan  by  birth  ; — 
not  becaufe  it  was  a  virtae  to  be  born  of  Jewiih  parents  ; 
but  becaufe  he  was  thereby  a  child  of  Abraham.  So  we 
are  all  the  children  of  God  by  Faith  in  Jcjks  Chrijl.  And  if 
children,  then  heirs.   Gal.  iii.  26.  29.  (1) 

Some  ieem  to  think  that  Faith,  repentance  and  fincere 
obedience,  coufidered  as  our  own  goo  chiefs  and  virtue, 
give  us  an  intereft  in  Chiifl:,  and  in  the  favour  of  God 
through  him.  Which,  to  make  the  fcheme  confident,  fup- 
pafes  that  the  penitent  Sinner  is  conudered  as  being  in 
himielf  good,  and  that  his  goodnefs  is  of  fo  great  weight 
in  the  fight  of  God,  as  to  counterbalance  his  badnefs,  and 
fo  gives  hirn  an  iuterelt  in  Chriic.  Which  implies  that  his 
guilt  is  not  acknowledged  to  be  infinite.  For  if  it  were,  it 
could  not  be  imagined,  that  his  goodnefs  could  be  of  any 
weight  to  counterbalance  it.  But  if  his  guilt  is  not  ac- 
knowledged to  be  infinite,  the  infinite  excellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,  and  the  juftice  of  the  law,  are  virtually  de- 
nied. A  full  proof,  that  the  import  of  Chrift's  death  is  not 
underiiocd  by  him,  and  that  his  Faith  and  repentance  are 
not  genuine.  And  gracelefs  graces  are  bat  poor  things 
for  gracelefs  men  to  make  a  righteoufnefs  of;  if  the  no- 
bleit  virtues  of  the  moil  eminent  Saints,  are  cf  no  weight 
at  all  to  conterbalance  any  one  tranigreffion  of  the  divine 
law.  i 

Others,  on  t-ie  contrary  extreme,  feem  to  think,  that 
Sinners  are  juftined,  not  only  as  being  ungodly  in  the  eye 
of  the  law,  but  alio  as  being  impenitent  and  unconverced 
in  the  eye  of  the  Gofpel.  And  thefe  make  the  whole  of 
religion  to  refult  from  a  perfuafiou  of  Goo's  love  to  them. 
And  fo  the  infinite  excellency  of  the  divine  Nature,  the 
infinite  evil  of  Sin,  and  the  true  import  cf  the  crofs  of 

*(  1)    See  this  fubjed  treated  at  large,  but  *with  great  accu- 
racy in  Mr.  Ed-wards' 's  fermon  en  J  if  if  cation  by  Faith  alone. 
H     3 


74  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  [SEC.  V. 

(Thrift,  are  left  out  of  their  views.  And  the  divine  law  as 
a  rule  of  life,  is  lei  afide.  And  a  new  l*ind  of  religion  is 
iubftituted  in  the  room  of  a  conformity  to  the  divine  law. 
A  kind  of  religion  which  has  no  holinefs  in  its  nature. 

That  there  is  a  Goo,  an  abiolutely  per  fed,  an  infinitely 
glorious  and  amiable  Being,  in  himfelf  infinitely  worthy 
of  fupreme  love  and  honour,  and  univerfal  obedience,  is 
the  firfl  principle  of  all  religion,  and  the  foundation  on 
which,  that  whole  fyitem  of  religion  is  built,  which  is 
contained  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  But  this  principle,  how 
plain,  and  how  fundamental  foever  it  is,  is  left  out  cf  every 
falfe  fcheme  of  religion.  The  occafion  is  this  :  Every  falfe 
fcheme  of  religion,  formed  in  the  fancy  of  a  fallen  creature,  is 
contrived  onpurpofe  to  fuit  and  fo  to  giveeaie  and  comfort  to 
grscelefs  hearts. Butevery  gracelefs  heart,  isat  enmity  againft 
the  true  God.  Another  God.  of  a  character  effentially  differ- 
ent, mull  vherefore  be  imagined,  or  a  carnal  heart  cannot  be 
fuited,  and  io  can  never  have  cafe.  And  this  is  done,  in  eve- 
ry falfe  fcheme  of  religion.  And  fo  all  falfe  fchemes  of  re- 
ligion in  the  Chriftian  world,  are,  in  reality,  only  fomany 
various  kinds  of  Idolatry. 

The  Angels  in  Heaven  love  aGod,  whofe  character  they 
fee  it  is,  to  hate  fin  as  an  infinite  evil,  and  puni fn  it  accor- 
dingly, exemplified  before  their  eyes  in  the  divine  conduct 
rds  their  ancient  affociates,  for  their  fir  ft  tranfgrcfTion. 
.  in  innoceney  loved  a  God,  whofe  character  he  be- 
lieved it  was,  to  hate  fin  as  an  infinite  evil,  and  punilh  it 
accordingly,  held  forth  to  his  own  view,  in  that  law,  /'* 
the  day  thou  eat  eft  thereof  thou  /halt  finely  die. — And  all  who 
onderftand  the  Gofpel,  fee  its  glory,  and  believe  it  to  be 
true,  love  a  God,  whofe  character  they  fee  it  is,  to  hate  fin 
;.s  art  infinite  evfl,  and  punifh  it  accordingly  ;  and  this 
character  is  fet  before  their  eyes,  in  the  moft  ftriking  point 
of  light,  on  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  and  in  the  tranfactions  of 
the  final  judgment.  And  all  thofe  who  do  not  love  this 
character  of  God,  do  not  love  the  true  God. Therefore, 

For  a  Sinner  to  love  the  true  God,  is,  at  the  fame  time, 
to  judge  and  condemn,  to  hate  and  abhor,  his  own  cha- 
racter, as  being  infinitely  odious.  We  can  have  not  fo 
much  as  One  good  thought  of  the  divine  character,  without 
giving  up  oar  own  as  infinitely  abominable.  The  moment 
we  begin  to  think  that  God's  character  is  good,  we  begin 
to  look   upon  cur  own  as  infinitely  bad.     For  if  it  is  a 


SEC.  V.]  SIN  AN  INFINITE  EVIL.  75 

beautiful  thing  in  God  eternally  to  damn  fuch  as  we  are, 
it  muft  b^  becaufe  we  are  infinitely  odious  and  lil-deferving. 
And  if  it  is  not  an  amiable  thing  in  God  to  hate  and  pun- 
iih fin,  as  in  facl  he  does,  tnere  is  no  moral  beauty  in  his 
nature.  For  one  bad  property,  entirely  approved,  and 
conftantly  exercifed,  muft  fpoil  any  moral  character,  and 
render  it  on  the  whole,  entirely  devoid  of  moral  beauty. 
But  this  point  (hall  be  taken  into  a  more  particular  confi- 
deration  in  the  following  Section. 


SECTION     VI. 

Vindiclive  Justice  an  amiable  Perfeclion  in  the  Deity  ; 
a  Beauty  in  the  Divine  Charade}'. 

VINDICTIVE  Juitice  is  that  perfeclion  in  the  divine 
Nature,  whereby  God  is  inclined  to  puniih  fin  accord- 
ing to  its  defert.  The  degree  of  ill  defert  there  is  in  fin,  is 
determined  by  the  penalty  threatened  in  theaivine  Law. 

God's  giving  his  Son  to  die  in  our  Head,  to  redeem  us 
from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  has  led  fome  to  think,  that  God 
is  not  inclined  to  punifh  iin  according  to  its  defert :  whereas 
his  inclination  to  puniih  fin  according  to  its  defert,  induced 
him  to  give  his  Son  to  die  in  our  llcad.  When  Zalucus 
made  a  Jaw,  that  the  adulterer  mould  have  both  his  eyes 
put  out  as  the  punilhment  of  his  crime;  his  inclination  to 
puniih  adultery,  according  to  what  hefuppofed  it  deferved, 
induced  him,  in  order  to  fave  his  Son,  who  had  committed 
adultery,  from  lofmg  both  his  eyes,  to  confent,  that  one 
of  his  own  fhould  be  put  out  inftead  of  one  of  his.  And 
his  confenting  to  this,  and  its  being  actually  done,  inltead 
of  arguing  that  he  was  not  inclined  to  puniih  adultery  ac- 
cording to  its  fuppofed  defert,  was  really  the  fulleft  proof 

of  his  inclination  fo  to  do,  that  could  have  been  given 

Nor  could  the  fupreme  King  of  the  Univerfe  have  given  a 
clearer  and  ilronger  proof,  that  his  inclination  to  puniih 
fin  according  to  its  defert  was  well  grounded,  fixed,  and 
unchangeable,  than  to  give  his  own  Son  to  fuffer  in  the 
room  of  the  Sinner,  altogether  equivalent  to  what  he  was 
expofed  to  ;  to  be  made  a  curfe,  to  redee??i  him  from  the  curfe. 
And  the  impenitent  Sinner  may  depend  upon  it,  he  mail 


/6  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [SEC.  YI. 

not  efcape.  For  if  tbe/e  things  ivirg  done  in  the  green  tree, 
qubat  jball  be  done  in  we  dry  ? 

Vindictive  juihee  in  the  Deity,  has  nothing  in  its  nature 
incontinent  with  bis  infinite  gocdnefs.  And  his  infinite 
goodnefs,  has  nothing  in  its  nature  inconfutent  with  vin- 
dictive juiHce.  Ail  tne  divine  Perfe&ions  are  harmonious. 
Nay,  ail  the  moral  perfections  of  the  Deity  are  really  but 
one. — god   is  LOVE. 

Love  is  the  ium  of  that  duty  which  God  requires  of  us 
in  the  moral  law.  The  moral  law  is  a  tranfeript  of  the  mo- 
ral perfections  of  the  Divine  nature.  Therefore,  love  is 
the  fum  of  the  moral  perfections  of  the  Divine  nature. 

God  is  love. — Love  to  Being  in  general.  Chiefly  to 
the  firft,  the  great,  the  infinite  Being,  the  fountain  and 
fource  of  all  Being. —  And,  lecondariiy,  to  nnite  Beings; 
and  love  to  virtue,  to  order,  to  harmony,  in  the  intellectu- 
al fyitem.  And  fo  ail  his  nature  is  fumfned  up  in  this  Edicl, 
the  fundamental  law  in  his  kingdom,  Thou  jh alt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  'with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thy  f;lf. 
Which  is  fuited  to  give  unto  God  tne  glory  due  unto  his 
name,  and  to  bring  ail  finite  Intelligences  to  feel  {-rid  con- 
duct towards  him  and  one  another,  as  is  tit,  in  which  alfo 
their  higheft  happinefs  lies. 

To  break  this  fundamental  law  of  his  kingdom,  is  im- 
plicitly to  turn  enemy  to  Being  in  general ;  to  God,  the 
infinitely  great  and  glorious  Being,  to  the  fyitem,  to  vir- 
tue, to  order,  to  harmony  ;  in  a  word  to  all  good.  Love 
itfelf,  therefore,  as  i:  exiles  in  the  Deity,  who  is  at  the 
head  of  theUnivetfe,  and  whole  officeitis  togovern  the 
World,  Yikxtnjumingfire  with  refpect  to  fin.  And  armed 
with  Almightineis,  and  directed  by  infinite  Wifdom,  is  im- 
mutably determined  to  bear  teitimony  againll:  it,  as  an  in- 
finitely odious,  hateful,  ill-deferving  thing.  And  fo  the 
words  of  the  law  exprefs  the  temper  of  God's  heart.  Curfed 
is  e-ve*y  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things.  But  this  fury 
and  wrath  is  nothing  but  love.  This  curfe  to  the  Sinner, 
is  love  to  Being  in  general,  i.  e.  love  to  God,  and  to  the 
belt  good  of  the  Univerfe.  As  when  a  wife  and  righteous 
monarch  puts  a  traitor  to  death,  it  is  not  becaufe  he  delights 
in  the  ceath  of  his  ful  jeCls,  or  takes  pleafure  in  their  pain 
fimpiy  conficcred;  but  it  is  becaufe  he  deiights  in  the  ho- 
nour and  fefety  of  his  crown,  and  the  general  good  of  his 
kingdom.  And  all  his  loyal  fubje&s,  who  are  aiTeCled  to- 


SEC.  VI.]  AN  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  77 

wards  his  crown  and  kingdom,   as  he  is,  will  fee  a  beauty 
in  his  conduct.  (1) 

(1)  Will  fee  a  beauty  in  his  conducl,  and  yet  not  "  delight 
in  the  mij'ery"  cf  their  fellow  creatures — and  fo  we  may  fee 
the  beauty  of  vindictive  jufice,  and  be  ajfecled  accordingly  > 
and  yet  '*  not  delight  in  car  own  eternal  dfjlruciicn."  Indeed, 
if  an  earthly  monarch  required  his  fubjeds,  en  pain  of  death,  to 
do  vckat  was  in  its  onw  7iature  *  utterly  impoffiblc,'  rot  through  the 
hadnefs  of  their  hearts,  but  as  being  inconjijlent  with  the  con- 
Jlitution  of  reafonable  creatures :"  then,  as  in  this  cafe,  no 
punijhmeni  would  be  dej'crved  ;  fo  he  cculd  have  no  motive  to 
punijh  bis  fubjeds,  unlefs  he  delighted  himjclf  in  their  dejlrnc^ 
tion.  And  fo  no  beauty  could  be  fecn  in  a  monarch's  inflating 
pain  in  fuch  a  cafe,  unlefs  vue  jufrprfe  it  beautiful  in  him  to 
love  the  mij'ery  of  his  fubjeds.  And  far  c::c  doomed  to  death 
under  fuch  a  monarch,  to  fee  a  beauty  in  his  ccndutl,  vjould,  I 
own,  be  the  fame  thing,  as  to  love  his  own  mij'ery.  And  this 
feems  to  be  Mr.  Cudwcrth's  vievj  of  the  Divine  character,  as 
exhibited  in  his  law,  to  love  which,  he  thinks  is  the  fame 
thing,  as  to  ii  love  our  own  eternal  defrudion" — Mr.  Cud- 
worth's  notions  of  the  Deity  are  furpri singly  inconfjlent.  One 
while,  God  is  fuppofed  to  be  fo  much  made  up  cf  malevolence, 
that  to  efcem  his  cbaradcr  beautiful,  is  to  love  our  ovon  eter- 
nal  defrudicn."  And  to  love  this  God,  is  pronounced  "utterly 
impofible  y"  yea,  "  contrary  to  the  law  cf  God."  And  jet  the 
indif put  able  duty  of  mankind  :  but  a  duty  which  none  ever  did, 
or  ever  will,  or  ever  lawfully  can  do — Another  while,  God  is 
all  made  up  of  love  to  his  creatures,  only  "  difpofed  to  make 
them  happy,  and  to  oppefe  w:  at  is  contrary  to  their  happinej's  /" 
and  fo  of  a  character  altogether  lovely,  even  in  the  eyes  of  the 
vilejl  Sinners,  let  them  but  believe,  "  that  God  loves  them  in 
particular." — And  fo  here  are  two  Gods;  the  one  a  cruel, 
hateful  Being,  requiring  on  pain  cf  damnation,  that  we  jhculd 
do,  that,  which  is,  in  its  own  nature,  wicked,  "  contrary  to 
the  law  of  God."  And  this  God,  it  is  "  utterly  impcjjible"  to 
love.  The  other  is  a  good,  and  lovely  Being,  who  aims  at  no- 
thing but  our  happinej's  :  and  only  requires  as  to  believe  that  he 
loves  us,  and  in  that  belief  love  him  again. —  And  thus  it  was 
with  the  Manichcans  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Church,  they 
maintained  that  there  were  two  Gods,  the  God  of  the  OldTef- 
t anient,  a  cruel,  hateful  Being  j  and  the  God  of  the  New  Tef- 
t anient,  a  good  and  lovely  Being.  Further  Defence,  p.  221,  226. 


78  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [SEC.  VT 

For  many  reafons  private  revenge  is  altogether  improper 
and  unfit:  not  that  executing  righteous  vengeance,  is  in 
itfelf  a  bad  thing.  We  (trictly  forbid  private  revenge 
among  our  children.  "  if  your  brother  itrikes  you,  you 
fhall  not  ltrike  him  again,"  fays  the  father:  "  but  tell  me, 
and  I  will  take  care  of  the  matter."  So  parents  order  in 
their  little  kingdoms,  and  all  the  children  in  the  family 
ftand  confcience  convinced,  when  a  naughty  child  is  cor- 
rected by  a  wife  and  good  father,  that  the  father  has  done 
well.  And  ali  dutiful  children  will  revere  him  the  more, 
and  love  him  the  better  for  it.  If  it  be  pcj/ible,  as  muck 
as  Uetb  :n  ycu,  live  peaceably  nvitb  all  men,  fays  the 
Apollle.  An  exhortation  as  full  of  benevolence  as  any  one 
in  the  New  Teltament.  To  which  he  adds,  in  the  fame 
fpirit,  dearly  beloved  avenge  not  your felves.  But  why  ?  was 
vengeance  a  bad  thing  in  the  Apoftle's  eyes?  No,  but  they 
were  not  the  proper  petfons.  That  matter  belonged  to  the 
infinitely  wife  God,  whofe  are  all  things  in  Heaven  and 
Earth,  and  to  whom  the  government  of  the  World  apper- 
tains. For  it  is  written,  Vengeance  ii  mine,  and  1  will  re- 
pay, faith  the  Lord,  Rom.  xii.  i8;  19.  It  is  God's  province 
to  execute  vengeance,  and  it  is  a  God-iike,  glorious  thing, 
in  him  to  do  it. 

Wherefore,  when  Pharoah  (the  type  of  finally  impenitent 
Sinners,  Rom:  ix.  17,  22)  and  his  holt  lay  overNvhelmned 
in  the  Red-Sea,  Mofes,  infpired  by  Heaven,  fang,  The 
Lord  hath  triumphed  glorioufy  !  Who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  Lord, 
among  the  Gods  !  IV ho  is  like  unto  thee,  glorious  in  holinefs  ! 
Exod.   xv.  (1)     And   when  ail  the  congregation  of  the 

(1)  Glorious  in  holinefs. — Vindictive  jvjliceis  a  holy,  and 
fo  a  glorious  perfection. —  The  holinefs  of  the  Divine  iSature, 
inclines  him  to  hate  and ' punijhfin.  The  great  evil  of  fn,  con- 
fjls  in  its  being  againfi  God.  Againil  thee,  thee  only  have 
I  finned.  Pjf.  li.  4.  And  it  is  chiefly  in  this  view  tioat  God 
hi  tes  and punijhes  it  j  becaufe  it  is  a  defpifing  God  (2  Sam. 
xii  1  o)  and  it  is  a  glorious  thing  in  Gcd  to  puniflj  it  in  this  view. 
Mr.  Cud-worth  thinks,  that  there  is  no  love line/sin  a>y  thing  in 
God,  but  merely  as  it  "  tend:  to  make  us  happy,  and  to  oppofe  what 
is  contrary  to  our  happinefs.,}  p.  221.  If  God  punijhes  Jin  mere- 
ly for  our  good,  it  is  lovely,  let  tie  pumjhment  be  fo  circumtlan- 
ced,  as  to  be  an  act  of  goodnefs  and  kindnefs  to  us,  and  it  is 
beautiful,   viewed  in  this  light.     But  if  it  be  viewed  as  an 


SEC.  VI.]  AN  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  79 

Children  of  Ifrael  murmured  and  rebelled  againft  the  Lord, 
on  the  return  of  the  fpies,  for  which  they  were  by  God 
doomed  to  fall  in  the  Wiidernefs.  it  was,  in  theeyesofthe 
holy  one,  fo  glorious  and  God-like  a  piece  of  conduct, 
that  he  laid,  all  the  Earth  Jhall  be  filled  with  the  glery  of 
the  Lord.  Numb.  xiv.  21.  And  when,  in  the  days  01  iiaiah, 
God  revelled  his  purpofe,  for  their  many  crimes,  to  give 
up  the  Jews  to  biindnefs,  and  deafnefs,  and  hardnefs, 
till  the  Land  mould  be  utterly  defoiate,  the  inhabitr.nts  of 
Heaven  are  reprelented,  as  in  an  extacy,  crying  one  to 
another,  Holy,  holy,  hcly,  is  the  Lord  of  llojls,  the  whole 
Earth  Is  full  cf  his  gicry.  Ifai.  vi.  And  when  the  Children 
of  Moab  and  Ammon,  the  Edomites  and  PhilHftines,  and 
all  the  neighbouring  nations  around  the  Koly-Lruid,  who 
from  lpite  to  the  true  God,  and  to  the  true  religion,  re- 
joiced in  the  deilruclion  of  Jeruuiem,  and  captivity  of  the 
Jews  :  when,  1  lay,  they  arc  by  God  devoted  to  deitruc- 
tion,  it  is  constantly  repreicnted,  as  a  conduct,  worthy  of 
the  holy-one  of  Ifrael,  and  to  his  honour,  by  the  conti- 
nual repetition  of  thefe  words,  and  they  Jhall  know  that  1 
am  the  Lard,  along  through  eight  chapters  together,  from 
Ezek.  xxv.  And  concerning  Babylon  lay  the  pious  jews, 
guided    by    inspiration,  ml  be  be,  thai  taketb  and 

dajheth  thy  little  ones  again/?  the  pones,    h'i'al.  exxxvii.   9. — 

ael  cf  holinefs,  as  an  exprefficn  of  'God' 's  regard  fo  the  concur  of 
his  great  name,  and  hatred  cf 'fin  as  it  is  againft  God,  then 
there  is  no  Uvelinefs  in  it — a>,d  why  ?  Becetufe  we  naturally 
love  9urf elvts,  hut  regard  not  the  honour  cf  his  great  name.-*' 
/htdfo,  to  take  cure  of  our  inierefl  appears  beautiful  to  us  j — 
hut  ic  take  core  of  the  rights  of  the  (redhead,  has  no  leauty  in 
it.  And  fs  the  atonement  cf  Chrijl .  on  this  hypcthejis,  has  tn 
beauty  in  it,  conftderthd  as  doing  G  .-'  and  10  his  law. 

Jlnd  fo  all  religion  c  chnf.fi  s  merely  in  _  _  ...     And  thus 

'when  Piaroa'o  -was  punijhed for  bis  crimes,  it  appeared  bsuu~ 
tiful  to  the  carnal  IJraelites,  as  theytoerefafe  themfelves,  and 
as  his  deftrudion  was  for  their  hterefi.  But  when  it  came  to 
their  own  turn,  their  Hearts  were  full  of  hatred  and  heart -ri- 
fvgs.  1  however,  the  Divine  conduii,  in  their  punijhment, 
was  as  beautiful,  as  m  the punijbment  cf  the  Egyptians,  And 
nothing  but  criminal  blindnefs  could  p,  event  its  appearing  fo 
them  in  this  light.  To  befure,  it  appeared  in  this  light  in  the 
eyes  of  the  HOLY  ONE  of  Ifrael. 


80  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [SEC.  VI. 

And  when  myftical  Babylon  fnal!  fink  as  a  mill-done  into 
the  fca,  under  the  vengeance  of  the  Almighty,  and  thou- 
fands  be  fent  to  Hell  at  once,  all  Heaven  is  reprefented, 
as  refounding  with  loud  Hallelujahs,  wrhile  the  fmoke  cf  their 
torment  afcendeth  for  ever  and  ever.  Rev.  xix.  So  that  no- 
thing can  be  plainer,  than  that  vindictive  jullice  is  a  glo- 
rious perfection  in  th^  Divine  Nature,  a  beauty  in  his  cha- 
racter, in  the  fight  of  holy  Beings  through  the  intellectual 
fyftem. But, 

I.  It  vindictive  j u flic e  is  a  glorious  and  amiable  perfec- 
tion in  the  Deity,  then  the  whole  dark  fide  of  things,  as 
feme  writers  phrafe  it  in  his  moral  government  of  the  U- 
niverfe,  is  full  of  light,  glory  and  beauty.  The  ejection 
of  the  finning  Angels  out  of  Heaven  down  to  eternal  darknefs 
and  defpair,  turning  our  riril  Parents  out  of  Paradife,  and 
dooming  them  and  all  their  Race  to  death,  and  the  final 
Sentence  to  be  paifed  on  apoilale  Angels  and  apoftateMen, 
at  the  day  of  Judgment,  are  all  perfect  in  beauty.  The 
Divine  character  as  exhibited  to  view  in  the  fefacts,  is  alto- 
gether glorious,  and  infinitely  worthy  of  love ;  for  it  is  a 
glorious  thing  in  God  thus  to  punifh  fin  according  to  its 
defer  t. Therefore, 

It  can  be  owing  to  nothing  but  criminal  blindnefs,  to 
the  fpirit  of  a  rebel,  of  an  enemy,  in  any  of  God's  fubjects, 
that  the  glory  of  his  character,  as  thus  exhibited,  does  not 
mine  into  their  hearts.  It  is  a  full  proof  they  are  unattached 
to  the  honour  of  God,  and  to  the  welfare  of  his  holy  king- 
dom, and  care  only  for  there  own  private  intereih And 

therefore, 

No  fooner  is  a  Sinner  renewed,  by  the  regenerating  in- 
fluences of  the  holy  fpirit,  but  he  begins  to  fee  the  beauty 
of  vindictive  jullice,  and  to  be  affected  accordingly.  The 
law  as  a  mitiijlration  of  death,  now  begins  to  appear  glori- 
ous. For  now  he  begins  to  fee  things  as  in  fad  they  be. 
For  now  his  eyes  are  opened.(i) 

( I )  And  in  this  -view  my  Tberon  is  made  to  Jay,  (p.  194^ 
"  Let  all  Heaven  for  ever  love  and  adore  the  infinitely  glori- 
ous Majejly,  although  I  receive  my  jufl  defer t  and  perijh  for 
ever.^  But  fays  Mr.  Cud-worth,  ie  This  is  a  fpecies  of  love 
beyond  nvhat  Adam  had  in  Paradife,  beyond  the  Apcflles,  the 
Scripture  Saints,  and  even  "Jefus  Chrijl  bimfelf"  p.  224. — 
Strange  I—What  ! — Dees  not    "Jefus  Chriji  look  upon  it  as  a 


SEC.  VI.]  AN  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  3 1 

II.  If  vindictive  juilice  is  a  glorious  and  amiable  per- 
fection, then  it  was  a  glorious  and  amiable  thing  in  God, 
to  bruife  him,  and  put  his  foul  to  grief,  who  had  efpoufed 
our  caufe,  and  appeared  as  our  repreientative,   although 

glorious  thing  in  his  Father  to punijh  Six  according  to  its  dcfcrt? 
Does  not  be  think  bis   Father  worthy  to  lye  loved  and  adored 
by  all  the  Heavenly  He/Is,  although  he  does  Jo  r    and  will  not 
all  holy  beings  cry,  Amen,  Halleiujah,  at  the  lajl  day,  when 
they  fee  the  law  put  in  execution  P  And  pray,  -what  is  their 
motive?  Is  it  the  beauty  of  vindictive  j"jtice  ?  or  is  it  vie  rely 
becaufe  they  are  j'aje,  and  care  for  none  but  tbtvfcives  ?   If  the 
beauty  of  vindictive  jujiice  is  the  motive  j  ihcn  they  all  view- 
things  to  perfection,  in  the  fame  light  in  which  a  Sinner  begins 
in  great  imperfection  to  view  them,  when  his  eyesf.rjl  begin  to 
be  opened. — But  if  vindictive  jujlice  is  not  a  beamy  in   the 
divine  Character,  in  their  e\cs  ;  a  id  if  i hey  cry  Amen  Halle- 
lujah,  merely  becauje  they   are  fafe  them/elves,   and  care  not 
what  becomes  cf  others  ;  as  mujl  be  the  cafe  on  Mr.  Cudwcrtb's 
fcheme,  let  him  confder  the  confequences.      Confrquences ,  vshich 
will    overthrow  the    whole  of  divine   Revelation,     as    will 
prefently  appear.      And  to  quote  texts  cf  Scripture  to  prove   a 
point  fubver Jive  of  the  whole  Scripture  fc heme,  is  certainly  to 
pervert  them,    befides,  Mr.  Cudwortb  is  obliged  to  grant,  \j}, 
That  the  divine  law  dees  in  fad  require  of  all  mankind  without 
exception,  that  very  kind  cf  live  to  God,  which  he  condemns  in 
Therm,      zd.  That  this  law  is  r.oly,jujl  and  good,      sind,  %d. 
that  to  deny  the  goednefs  cf  this  law,   is  to  overthrow  Chrijii- 
anity,  p.   226,   230.      And  if  in  regeneration  and  rep. 
our   eyes  begin  to  be  opened  to  fee  things  as  they  le,   and  cur 
hearts  to  be  affected  accordingly ,  then  TberOn  is  j'fiifid  cut  cf 
Mr.  Cudwcrtb\  own  ?nouth  ;  and  he  has  noway  to  avoid  this 
confequence,    but  to  contradict  himjclf,    and  implicitly  give  up 
Cbr/jhanity,   in  affirming,    that  the  divine  law,  in  requiring 
love  to  God  before  the  pardon  cf  fin,  requires,  \jl.   what  im- 
plies "  love  to  our  own  eternal  dcjlruCtion  ;"   and  fo,  id.  what 
is  «  utterly  impofiible."     Tea,  3d.  what  is  in  its  own  nature 
unreafonuble,    tl  inconffient    with    the  original  confitution    cf 
reafonable  creatures.'"   And  fo,  q.tb.  what  is  in  its  oixn  nature 
finful  ««  contrary  to  the  law  of  God"      And  thus  he  makes  the 
divine  law  unreafonable  and  wicked,   that  ic  may  j'f'fy  the 
Sinner  in  his  non- conformity   to   it.      s.-'i:J  while  he  juiiifie? 


5*2  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [sEC.  VI. 

he  v. ere  his  own  Son.  And  it  was  a  glorious  thing  in  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate,  to  fay,  Thy  will  be  done.  But  if 
vindictive  juilice  is  not  glorious,  there  is  no  glory  in  the 
crofs  of  Chrift.  And  wnere  no  glory  is,  no  glory  can  be 
feen. 

III.  If  vir.diclive  juftice  is  an  amiable,  glorious  perfec- 
tion, then  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  Son,  was  fret 
grace  indeed,  if  I  was  in  fad,  fo  criminal,  fo  infinitely 
odious  and  ill-deferving,  that  it  had  been  even  a  glorious 
piece  of  conduct  in  God  to  have  damned  me  for  my  fins, 
the  grace  which  provides  me  relief,  is  mere  pure  grace  ; 
pi: re  grace  indeed.  God  was  fo  far,  fo  very  far  from  be- 
ing obliged  in  juftice  to  help  me,  that  it  had  been  a  glori- 
ous ait  of  juilice,  if  God  had  laid,  Depart  thou  curfed,  into 

the  Sinner,  he  renders  needlefs  the  atonement  of  Chrijl,  regene- 
ration,   repentance,    and  pardon,  in  this  caje. — And  thus  the 
nv&o/e  Gojpel  is  overthrown.      To  avoid  this  confequer.ee,    he 
turns  Jbort  about,  and  affirms,  that  the  Sinner  "  ought  to  love 
God  and  isfelf- condemned  if  he  does  not,''' — "  utterly  impcffible 
and  contrary  io  the  law  of  God,"  as  it  /'<. — And  in  the  mid  ft 
of  all  this  ccnfficn  and  fe!f -coi.tr  udicucn,   he  introduces  the 
death  of  Chrijl  tofolve  the  difficulty,  by  delivering  us  from  the 
curfe  cf  this  good  wicked  lavj:  ar.d  ,rant  a  pardon  in  the  midjl 
of  this  felf-jvftification  and  enmity,  thereby  to  pacify  our  minds 
and  give  us  a  good  thought  of  that  God,  whofe  character  before 
it  nuas  "  utterly  imfirffible"  to  love.      Aid  this  is  all  the  re- 
generation Le  nuill  aliovu  of     And  he  perverts  every  text  of 
Scripture  he  comes  acrefs,  io  fupfort  this  incovftfient,  fslf-con- 
iradifiory  fcheme  of  jiutiments  :  meanwhile,   nothing  can  Le 
plainer,  than  that — //  God  vcas  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  Jda?:i 
in  Paradife,  in  threatening  io  punijh  fn  jO  feverely  :  if  he  was 
amiable  in  the  eyes  cf  drift  t  in  pfrfifting  in  this  difpcj:iion  a  fur 
the  fall  j  if  to  do  honour  to  this  character  of  his  F ether,  the 
Son  of  God  incarnate  died  on  the  crofs;  if  all  true  beluvers 
view  Chrijl  in  this  light,  and  love  him  as  bting  thus  bis  fa- 
ther* s  friend ;  then  Mr.  Cudvsortb's  fcheme  fands  condemned 
"  by  Adam  in  Paradife,   by  the  Apoftles,   by  all  tie  Scripture 
Saints,  with  Jefus  Chiji  bimfelf at  their  head."      Who  ccuid 
rot  have  been  bribed  by   all  the  joys  fet  before  him,   to  have 
declared  his  father's  right ccuf.ef,   had  he  viewed  the  di*>in& 
law  in  the  light  Mr.  Cudvcorth  does  j   an  unreafonable>  wish- 
ed lav;. 


SEC.  VI.]  AM  AMIABLE  PERFECTION7.  83 

euerlajling  fire,  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  Angels.  The 
grace,  therefore,  which  provides  relief,  is  free  and  glori- 
ous grace.  And  as  the  freenels  and  greatnefs  of  the  grace, 
arifes  from  this  view  of  the  cafe  ;  fo  it  is  only  in  this  view 
of  the  cafe,  that  the  frecnefs  and  greatnefs  of  the  grace  can 
be  feen.  Therefore,  thofe  who  are  wholly  blind  to  the 
beauty  of  vindictive  juftice,  are  wholly  blind  to  the  natore 
and  glory  of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel.  And  therefore,  that 
idea  cf  free  grace,  which  ravilhes  an  Antinomian  heart,  is 
a  mere  imagination,  formed  in  his  own  fancy,  and  net  the 
true  grace  of  the  Gofpel. 

IV.  If  vindictive  juitice  is  a  glorious  and  amiable  per- 
fection in  the  divine  Nature,  then  God  is  altogether  lovely. 
There  is  not  one  blemifh  in  his  character  ;  his  character 
viewed  in  every  point  of  light,  is  perfect  in  bsauty.  That 
is,  he  is  in  fact,  what  he  claims  to  be,  by  nature  God. 
Therefore, 

Our  dififreclion  to  the  Deity  is  perfectly  groundlefs,  and 
we  have  no  cloak  for  our  fin,  but  are  ahiolutely  without 
excufe,  our  mouths  ftopped,  and  we  guilty  before  God — 
even  prior  to  a  confideration  of  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel. — 
And  therefore, 

If  now,  after  we  have  the  Gofpel  Revelation,  in  which 
we  are  invited,  kindly  and  earneftly  invited  to  return  to 
God  in  the  name  of  Chrift,  with  a  promife  of  divine  for- 
givenefs,  and  even  of  eternal  life  through  him,  we  do  not 
return  and  become  heartily  reconciled,  we  (hall  deferve  an 
aggravated  damnation  indeed.  The  Heathen  world,  who 
never  heard  of  the  grace  of  the  GofpeJ,  may,  for  their  dis- 
affection to  the  divine  Character,  which  is  perfect  in  beau- 
ty, be,  with  Tyre  and  Sidon,  juftly  damned  ;  but  we,  with 
Chora^in,  Bethfsida,  and  Capernaum,  fnall  deferve  a 
damnation  aggravated  beyond  exprrffion. '.  There  Jball  be 
weeping,  cc ailing,  and  gnajhing  cf  teeth. 

To  fay  that  vindictive  juitice  is  not  a  glorious  and  ami- 
able perfection,  is  fubveriive  of  all  Religion,  natural  and 
revealed. 

If  vindiftive  juitice,  is  not  a  glorious  and  amiable  per- 
fection, then  there  is  one  blemifh  in  the  divine  Character, 
one  bad  property  in  the  divine  Nature,  which,  yet,  it  is 
plain  from  the  whole  tenor  of  his  conduct,  that  God  heart- 
ily approves  of  and  loves ;  which  therefore,  muft  fpoil  his 
I     2 


&4  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [SEC.  VI. 

who!;  character,  and  render  it  on  the  whole  an  unamiable 
character  ;  a  character  that  cannot  be  heartily  liked  and 
cordially  loved.  For  one  bad  property  entirely  approved 
of,  ar:d  conftaotly  exercifed  will  ruin  any  moral  character, 
and  render  it  devoid  of  all  moral  beauty. 

If  it  was  a  bad  eking  in  God  to  call  out  the  rebel  An- 
gels as  he  did  to  eternal  pains  ;  the  elect  Angels  can  never 
forgive  it  :   but:  rouft  eternally  look  on  their  tortures  as  the 
bad  in  the  Deity,  and  Hand  ready  to 
Vies,  and  fo  will  really  be  on  the  De- 
vil's fide,   nothwithtandinp  all  the  bounties  of  Heaven  to 
tivem.     For  the  bounty  of  a  tyrant  can  never  win  the  ei- 
Leein  &f  noble  and    j;:r.erous  minds.     And   how  muft  the 
:  of*an  incarnate  God,  on  this  hypothecs,  fill  all  holy 
Beings  vith  horn  r.     Such  a  facrirke  as  this  to  tyranny,  is 
beyond   im  n   dreadful!     All  the  bounties  of  Hea- 

ven to  the  elect  from  among  mankind,  can  never  reconcile 
them  to  fuch  a  character,  unlefs  we  fuppofe  them  to  be 
abfohitely  felfifhj  void  of  all  goodnefs,  while  they  forever 
behold  their  feltow  creatures,  their  neighbours,  their  bre- 
thren, their  niiers,  their  fons,  their  daughters,  crying, 
weeping,  wailing,  gnafhing  their  teeth,  under  eternal  tor- 
tures, all  the  effect  of  foniething  bad  in  the  Deity. 

So  that  if  vindictive  juitice  in  the  divine  Nature,  is  not 
amiable  sr.d  gioricuf,  there  is  no  beauty  at  all  in  the  di- 
vine Character,  and  he  never  can  be  loved.  And  fo  there 
is  an  cveriafting  end  to  all  Religion  in  the  intellect.ua!  fyf- 
tem.  For  where  there  is  no  love  to  God,  there  is  no  Re- 
ligion. 

To  fay,  that  vindictive  jaftice  is  no  part  of  God's  moral 
character,  is  to  give  up  the  Old  and  New  Teftamcnt,  both 
at  once  ;  as  well  as  to  contradict  a  thoufand  appearances  in 
common  providence.  And  fo  is  it  to  plunge  into  down- 
right infidelity,  and  is  Utile  or  nothing  ihort  of  the  grof- 
feit  atheifm. 

So  that  we  have  our  choice  to  approve  the  divine  cha- 
racter, as  it  (lands  in  the  Bible,  as  being  without  a  blemilh, 
perfect  in  beauty  ;  or  to  turn  infidels,  and  fink  down  into  a 
total  uncertainty  about  every  thing  in  the  moral  fyftem.— 
To  do  the  firft,  is  the  introduction  into  the  Chrillian  life. 
To  do  the  latter,  is  to  begin  to  feel  that  blacknefs  of  dark- 
nefs,  which  i-  to  be  the  portion  of  God's  enemies  to  all 
eternity  ;  or  at  leait,  it  is  an  introduction  to  it. 


SEC.   VI.]         AN  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  85 

Objection. — "  It  is  true,  God's  character,  as  exhibited 
to  view  in  ihc  law,  \-  not  amiable,  nor  can  it  be  loved  — 
But  his  character,  as  exhibited  in  the  Gofpel,  is  altogether 
lovely."  (1) 

Anpuier. — A  hateful  chancier,  and  a  lovely  charr.cler, 
are  two  cnaiack'r.;  effentially  diaVcrent  ;  nay,  contrary  to 
each  other.  But  two  characters  eiTentially  diiTercnt,  can- 
not  belong  to  that  one  God,  uho  is  the  (rime  yeilerd:y, 
to  day  and  forever.  To  look  upon  the  character  the  di- 
vine law  gives  of  God,  as  odious  ;  to  lock  upon  the  ci.o- 
racler  the  Gofpel  gives  oi  God,  as  amiable  ;  and  to  hate 
the  God  of  the  law,  and  to  love  the  God  or  the-  Gofpel  ; 
is  a  kind  of  Religion  which  puts  one  in  mind  of  the  M  1.;- 
ichean  fcheme,  in  ancien;  times  ;  who  p  ofefied  to  believe 
"  that  there  were  two  Gods,  the  God  of  the  Old  Teila- 
.ment,  an  evil,  cruel,  hateful  Being,  and  tne  God  o 
New-Teftaraent,  a  good,  kind,  lovely  Being."  And  if 
this  fcheme  is  not  openly  efpoufed  by  any  of  the  various 
iecb  of  Chrillians,  in  the  prefent  age;    yet,  itfeems  to  be 

( 1)  The  tkfign  rf  every  fa  Ife  fcheme  of  Religion,  is  to  ren- 
der the  divine  character  agreeable  to  the  tafie  cf  a  carnal 
heart  :  But  ic  every  carnal  heart,  vindictive  jijticc  appears 
not  a  beauty,  but  a  blemijh  ;  and J'uck  a  blemijh  as fpoils  God's 
nuhole  character ,  and  renders  it  "  utterly  imp ojy .lie"  to  Icvehim. 
Till  then  carnal  men  leave  vindictive  jujtice  cut  of  their  idea 
of  God,  at  ieafl  nvith  reference  to  them  [elves,  they  cannot  love 
God,  cr  "conceive  any  lovelinefs  in  his  Nature"  Seme falfe 
fc hemes  declare  that  vindictive  jujlice  is  no  part  of  the  divine 
character.  God  intends  to  make  all  his  creatures  jinaliy  happy. 
Other  ft  If  j  chains  declare,  that,  although  it  is  apart  of  the 
divine  Character,  yet  it  is  not  to  beloved.  I  am  to  vievj 
God  as  one  that  loves  me,  and  merely  in  that  vievj,  am  I  to 
love  him  :  bat  to Lve  vindiStive  jujlice  is  c*  utterly  imp'fp.bleV 
Rct  s.itance  tozvards  God,  and  Faith  towards  our  Lord  Jefus 
Chrijl,  imply  in  their  nature,  a  fenje  cf  the  beauty  cf  vindic- 
tive jujlice.  And  Jo  the  true  Cbrijlian  loves  Gcd's  real  cha- 
racter. While  a  wrong  idea  cf  Gcd  excites  the  love  cf  every 
unregeierate  man.  A  kind  cf I  eve  to  fuch  a  kind  cf  a  God,  as 
is  conjijlent  with  reigning  enmity  agaisji  the  true  God.  Ihm.viii. 
7.  Becaufe  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  again!!  Gcd  ;  for  it 
is  not  fubjett  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 

j  3 


86  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  fsEC.  VI. 

the  fecret  fpirit  and  four  of  all  the  falfe  fchcmes  of  Religi- 
on now  in  vogue.  liut  all  thefe  fchemes  are,  in  fact,  no  bet- 
ter than  infidelity.  For  if  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  did  not 
heartily  love  I  ter  of  the  God  of  lfreal,  as  exhi- 

bited in  his  law,  he  did  not  come  from  the  God  of  lfrael, 
Lc  was  not  the  promifed  Meffiah,  he  was  an  impoftor.  For 
on  this  hypothecs,  he  was  no  friend  to  the  God  of  lfrael  -, 
but  plain!;.'  or,  the  fide  of  his  enemies,  his  rebellious  fub- 
jects.     And  hi-  ;n,  in  this  view,  was  an  affront  to. 

the  Deity,  an  infinite  reflection  on  his  character  ;  and  fo 
can  be  of  no  avail  to  his  followers.  And  what  is  all  this 
better  than  infidelity  ?  Cut  if  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  did  heart- 
ily )ove  tl  e  character  of  the  God  of  lfrael,  as  exhibited  in 
his  law,  and  died  to  alTert  this  character  to  be  good,  and 
co  it  honour  ;  then  no  man  can  be  his  difciple,  but  he  who 
loves  that  character  too.     To  hate  that  character,  is  to  be 

an  enemy  to  the  ciol's  of   Chrift. He  that  hatb  ears  to 

hear,  let  him  hear. 

When  Chrift  was  upon  Earth,  the  Pharifees,  the  moft 
religious  feet  of  people  then  in  the  world,  joined  very 
unanimously  to  ha'.e  his  character,  pretending  at  the  fame 
time  great  Jove  to  the  God  of  lfrael.  But  our  Saviour  and 
his  Apoftles  infixed  upon  it,  that  if  they  really  loved  Godr 
they  would  love  him  ;  and  if  they  hated  him.  it  was  a  full 
proof  they  hated  God  ;  becaufe  both  their  characters  were 
alike.  Joh.  viii.  10,  29,  48.  Chap.  xv.  21,  24.  Chap.  xvi. 
1.  2.  3.  1  Joh.  ii.  22,  23.  But  the  Pharifees  had  quite 
loft  the  true  meaning  of  the  law  of  Motes  ;  10  that  with 
the  g  nth  i:  might  be  feid,   that  they  did  not  be- 

lieve Mofes's  writings,  joh.  v.  47.  And  consequently  had 
-■•  of  the  true  God  as  exhibited  in  his  wri- 
tings. .Mean  while  they  had  formed  a  new  fcheme  of  Re- 
ligion in  their  i'.^rcv.  and  got  themfelves  to  believe  it  to 
be  the  fame  that  was  taught  by  Mofes,  a  fcheme  which 
juftified  fuch  characters  as  theirs  ;  and  as  was  their  fcheme 
of  Religion,  fuch.  was  their  notion  of  God.  And  having 
thus   made  Lves  a  God  of  a  character  to  fuit  their 

own  hearts  ;  this  God  they  loved  :  But  they  hated  Chrift, 
who  w^s  rhe  exprefs  :  1  0  'the  (roc  God.  A  full  proof 
3  true  God  himfelf.  Even  fo  row  alfo  it  is 
in  this  prefent  age.  Chrift  has  been  gone  to  J-h. aver  a 
long  .  the  true  fsnfe  of  his  Gj^pel  has  been  in  a 

Baanner  totally  loll  by  many,   who  iiaveprcfcfled  a  great 


SEC.  VI.]  AN"  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  87 

regard  to  his  name.  And  new  Chrifis,  and  new  Gofpels, 
have  been  invented,  more  agreeable  to  the  taile  of  an  apof- 
tate  world  ;  but  of  a  character  efientially  different  from 
the  God  of  Ifracl.  And  fo  it  is  come  to  pafs  that  men  *re 
prepared  to  diftinguilh  between  the  character  of  God,  as 
exhibited  in  the  law,  and  the  character  of  God  as  exhi- 
bited in  the  Gofpel  ;  and  hate  one,  and  love  the  other  ; — 
as  characters  effentially  different  ;  my.  even  contrary  the 
enc  to  the  other  ;  not  knowing  that  it  was  the  very  delign 
of  the  Mediatorial  Cilice  and  Work  of  Chrift,  to  aflert  his 
Father's  character,  as  exhibited  in  the  law,  to  be  an  abso- 
lutely perfect  charter,  without  (pot  or  blemifh  ;  hi  though 
it  is  cxpreflly  affirmed,  that  he  was  fit  forth  to  be  a  propiti- 
ation for  this  very  end,  to  declare  bis  Fuller's  righteoufnefi  : 
Or,  in  the  language  of  the  Prophet,  to  magnify  the  law, 
and  make  it  honourable. 

J  pray  that  it  may  be  confidered,  that  if  vindictive  juftice 
is  efiential  to  the  divine  Character,  and  if  it  is  in  its  own 
nature  a  bad  thing,  an  unamiable  property,  that  this  one 
biemifh  will  fpoil  God's  whole  character:  ard  it  will  be 
impoffible  for  any  holy  being  in  ths  Univerfe  to  \o\a  him. 
None  can  love  him  but  ihipid,  felhih  creatures,  who  believe 
that  he  loves  them,  and  who  care  not  what  becomes  of  ci- 
thers. For,  if  it  mult  have  rendered  God's  character  hate- 
ful to  have  punifned  me  according  to  hi?  law  ;  it  mutt,  for 
the  fame  reafon,  render  it  hateful,  to  punifh  any  other  ac- 
cording to  his  law.  So  that,  on  this  hyputhefis,  if  I  am 
faved  ;  yet,  God's  character  mufc  appear  odious  in  my  eyes 
to  all  eternity,  unlefs  he  fave  all  others.  So  1  fhall  hate 
God's  character  in  Heaven,  while  1  view  the  torments  of 
the  damned.  And  all  the  love  I  ihail  have  to  him,  will  be 
fimply  from  a  felfiih,  narrow  principle  ;  becaufe  he  has 
elected,  and  loved,  and  faved  me.  F  r  i  can  fee  no  beauty 
in  his  character.  For  in  fact  there  is  none,  if  vindictive 
juftice  be  a  bad  and  an  unamiable  property.  For  one  bad 
property  entirely  approved  of  and  con  ft  ntly        rcifed  will 

render  any  character  entirely  devoid  of  moral  beauty. 

Therefore, 

The   rapturous  joys  :f  who  are  blind   to  the 

:y  of  the1  c;ivi:e  Character  as    exhibited   in  hi?  law, 

^rihng  mere]'/  from  a  belief  that  Cjr;J  Ipvej  them  and  will 

fave  them,  have  not]  ing  of  the  nature  oi  h;.  ^:^  or  love 

to  Q-jd  in  them  j  nor  will  this  kind  of  religion,  although 


88  VINDICTIVE  JUSTICE  [sEC.  VI. 

raifed  to  the  higheit  perfection,  in  the  leail  qualify  a  man 
to  live  in  Heaven.  To  view  things  as  they  do  there, 
would  kiil  this  kind  of  religion  in  a  moment.  A  fight  of 
the  ftate  of  the  damned  would  putanend  to  all  their  good 
thoughts  of  Gcd,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  And  while 
on,  ravifhed  with  the  beauty  of  the  divine  conduct, 
refounds  wkh  Hallelujahs,  they  would  begin  to  cry,  "  No, 
no,  he  is  a  tyrant!  fee,  yonder  is  my  neighbour,  my  bro- 
ther, my  child  in  torments!"  Ana  away  would  they  flee, 
to  their  proper  company,  fide  with  them,  and  join  in  their 
blafphemie^.  Uniefs  we  fappofe  this  fort  of  converts, 
fhculd  they  come  to  Heaven,  fo  entirely  deftitute  of  any 
thing  like  benevolence,  a*  to  Kei  perfectly  eafy  at  the  mi- 
fery  of  o;hers,  merely  becaufe  they  do  not  care  for  any  but 
themieives. 

if  vindiftive  juftice  were  not  glorious,  it  would  be  im- 
pcfiible,  that  the  Son  of  God  incarnate  ihould  make  fuch  a 
glorious  appearance,  as  he  will  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
He  would  rather  be  drolled  in  fackcloth.  irnpoiiibie,  that 
he  who  wept  over  Jerufalem,  Ihould  now,  without  the  leaft 
reluctance  pronounce  the  final  lentencc  on  the  wicked. — 
And  impoffible,  that  thi  ■  fentence  mould  be  fueceeded  with 
unmixed,  endiefs  joys,  among  Angels  and  Saint's,  beings 
per  feci  in  benevolence,  and  :  e  mod:  generous  goodnefs. 

But  neither  Chrift,  nor  Angels,  nor  Saints,  will,  at  that 
dzy  lo.)k  on  the  contra  serfy,  which  has  fubfifVed  between 
God  and  his  rebellious  Objects,  as  it  is  generally  looked 
npon  now  among  mankind.  God's  infinite  worthinefs  of 
fnpreme  love  and  honour,  and  univerfal  obedience,  and  the 
infinite  evil  of  fin,  will  then  be  {^en  ;  and  the  wiftidm, 
hoi  in  els,  juftice  and  fs  of  all  Goo's  ways  will  be 

brought  to  light;  and  the  uhreafonable  difaffection,  and 
inexcufable  pbftinacy   of  'tte  race   will  appear  in 

thei  true  colours.  The  whole  biit.ory  of  mankind  will  be 
opened,  and  all  the  opposition  made  to  the  truth,  from  the 
blood  of  Abel,  to  the  blood  of  Chrift,  nay  to  the  blood  of 
the  lafl  martyr,  will  be  brought  into  the  account,  with  all 
the  defpifings  of  the  divine  authority,  threatenings,  warn- 
calls;  &c.  So  that  all  holy  Beings  will  be  fully  and 
tied,  nay  perfectly  pleafed  with  the  lafl:  fen- 
tence on  I  1.  And  it  wi'.l  be  fo  far  from  leflening 
their  j  .  .  fs,  \l:~  :  it  will  gh  e  them  new  additional  joys. 
And  :/iey  will  all  join  in  faying,  Amen  Hallelujah  ;  for  the 


SEC.  VI.]  AN  AMIABLE  PERFECTION.  89 

Lord  God  omnipotent  rcigneth  ;  and  true  and  righteous  are  his 
judgments.  And  again  they  ivill  jay,  Hallelujah  :  while  the 
fmoke  of  their  torments  afcends  j'orever  and  ever.  And  all 
this  in  perfect  coniiftence  with  the  pureft  benevolence.  Yea, 
all  this  will  be  the  native  refult  of  benevolence,  of  love  to 
God,  and  to  the  general  good  of  the  Univerfe  ;  as  the 
wicked  will  be  viewed,  as  enemies  to  Being  in  general,  to 
God,  to  the  Univerfe,  and  to  all  good. 


SECTION     VII. 

GOD,  ivho  is  the  fupr erne,  all  fufficient  Good,  can  con- 
fidently with  his  honour,  and  is  willing  to  become  a 
God  and  Father  and  everlasting  portion,  to  all  who 
return  to  him  through   "Jefus  Christ. 

THAT  God  is  bb  absolutely  perfect,  and  fo  an  infinitely 
glorious  and  amiable  Being,  is  the  firft  article  of 
Faith,  in  the  creed  of  every  true  ChrilUan.  And  the  fe- 
cend,  which  in  poi.it  of  importance,  is  like  unto  it,  is,  that 
Jefus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Sen  of  God.  On  thefe  two  articles 
hang  all  the  lav/  and  the  Gofpel,  all  the  doctrines  cf  natural 
and  revealed  Religion.  As  it  is  written,  Jon.  xvii.  3.  Ti.is 
is  life  eternal,  to  knew  thee  tie  only  true  God  and  Jefus  Crnj} 
<vjhom  thou  hajl  j'ent. — A  variety  of  confequencet>  from  thefe 
two  fundamental  truths  have  been  already  pointed  out; 
and  we  now  go  on  to  add — 

I.  If  God  is  an  absolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  amiibleand 
glorious  Being,  of  necefiity  he  mult  be  the  fupreme,  all- 
fuflicient  Good. And, 

II.  If  Jefus  of  Nazareth  is  his  Son,  it  is  equally  certain 
that  he  can  confident  with  his  honour,  and  is  willing  to 
become  a  God  and  Father  and  everlafling  portion,  to  ail 
who  return  to  him  through  Jefus  Chrift. 

I.  If  God  is  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious 
and  amiable  Being,  of  necefilty  he  muft  be  the  fupreme, 
ail-lulncicnt  Good.  He  mui:  be  the  fupreme  Good  ;  for  it 
implies  a  contradiction  to  fay,  that  any  thing  can  be  better 
than  the  beft.     And  God  cannot  be  better  than  he  is.   Ab- 


90  GOD  THE   SUPREME  GOOD,  [SEC.  VII. 

folate  perfection  cannot  be  more  perfect  than  it  is.  Infinite 
wildorn,  holinefs  juilice,  goodnefs  and  truth,  .armed  with 
Almighty  power,  constitute  a  character  abfolutely  perfecl : 
a  beauty  without  a  blemifh,  a  beauty  infinitely  bright.  In 
the  knowledge,  love  and  enjoyment  of  fuch  a  being,  there- 
fore, mult  confift  the  greateft  poffiblc  happinefs. 

And  at  the  fame  time,  the  abfolute  perfection  of  the  di- 
vine nature,  renders  the  Deity  infinitely  amiable  and  de- 
lightful in  himfelf ;  the  whole  Univerfe  exifts  by  him,  is 
entirely  in  his  hands,  and  under  his  government,  and  at  his 
control.  In  him  all  live  and  move  and  have  their  being. — 
The  Earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulnefs  thereof ;  the  world, 
and  they  that  dwell  therein.  And  his  throne  is  ejf.ablijhed  in 
the  Heavens,  and  his  kingdom  ruleth  over  all.  His  counfel 
Jhalljla;:d,  and  he  will  do  all  his  pleafure.  So  that  he  is  the 
fountain  and  fourceofall  Being,  poffefTed  of  authority  ab- 
folutely fupreme,  the  furn  and  fourceofall  good,  and  there- 
fore in  the  highefc  fenfe  abfolutely  all-fufHcient.  To  have  God 
for  our  God,  is  infinitely  better  than  to  be  ourfelves  fet  up 
at  the  head,  and  made  Lords  of  the  whole  Univerfe. 

There  are  things  of  an  earthly  nature  which  are  good 
in  their  places,  as  health,  food,  raiment,  friends,  Sec.  which 
we  receive  from  God,  the  original  Lord  of  all  things  ;  and 
for  which  therefore  we  ought  to  be  thankful  to  him,  and 
improve  to  his  glory.  But  they  are  not  fit  to  be  the  por- 
tion of  our  fouls.  And  if  we  fet  our  hearts  upon  them  as 
our  fupreme  Good,  wre  are  guilty  of  Idolatry.  And  if  we 
fet  them  up  for  our  God,  and  bow  down  our  fouls  to 
them,  we  acl  as  ftupid  and  finfbl  a  part  as  thofe,  who,  cf 
old,  bowed  down  to  Idols  of  wood  and  fione,  of  filver  and 
gold.  And  when  we  come  to  die,  they  will  prove  as  in- 
efficient for  our  happinefs,  as  the  Gods  of  the  Heathen 
did  for  theirs.  Nay,  the  focicy  of  Angels  and  Saints  in 
Heaven,  leave  God  out  of  the  account,  would  by  no  means 
alford  that  refined  and  fublime,  that  compleat  and  liable 
happinefs  we  need,  to  give  us  full  and  perfect  fatisfadlion; 
much  lefs  will  the  feciety  of  Saints  on  Earth.  Nay,  leave 
God  out  of  the  account,  and  Angels  and  Saints,  and  the 
whole  Univerfe,  would  fink  into  nothing  in  a  moment.  So 
that  God  is  not  only  the  fupreme  all-fufficicnt  Gocd  ;  but 
ftrietly  fpeaking,  the  fum  total  of  all  good.  Pfal.  Ixxiii.  25. 
Whom  have  I  in  Heaven  hut  thee  ;  and  there  'is  none  on  Earth 
I  defire  befides  thee. Therefore, 


SEC.  VII.]      WILLING  TO  BE  RECONCILED.  9I 

To  love,  honour  and  obey  the  Deity,  as  the  divine  law- 
requires,  is  as  much  our  privilege  as  it  is  our  duty.  And 
nothing  but  our  criminal  blindnefs  to  the  abfolute  perfec- 
tion, to  the  infinite  glory  and  amiablenefs  of  the  divine 
Nature,  prevents  its  appearing  fo  to  our  fouls. 

Suppofe  a  father  of  an  unblemifhed  character,  of  confum- 
mate  wifdom,  the  owner  of  a  large  eitate,  at  the  head  of  a 
numerous  family,  for  the  children  to  love  his  character,  re- 
ljpeci  his  perfon,  to  put  an  implicit  trull  in  the  wifdom  of 
ids  conduct  relative  to  family  affairs,  to  rejoic2  in  his  fu- 
premacy,  power  and  authority  over  his  houfehold,  and 
that  all  the  eitate  is  in  his  hands,  and  all  his  family  depend- 
ent on  him,  and  in  their  temper  and  behaviour  to  be  all 
dependence,  fubje&ion  and  obedience,  is  as  much  their 
privilege,  as  it  is  their  duty.  And  nothing  but  a  crimi- 
nal ftate  of  mind  can  prevent  its  appearing  fo  in  their  eyes. 
To  be  dififfjcled  to  inch  a  father's  character,  to  be  dif- 
contented  under  his  government,  to  rife  in  rebellion,  to 
go  and  leave  his  hou.'e,  is  as  imprudent  and  foolifh,  as  it 
is  undutiful  and  wicked.  And  mull  appear  fo  to  the  pro- 
digal child,  as  foon  as  ever  he  comes  to  himfelf.  And 
now  to  repent  and  return,  and  become  a  dutiful  child, 
mult  appear  not  only  the  fitted,  but  the  bappieft  thing  in 
the  world.  And  to  have  filch  a  man,  with  iuch  an  eitate 
in  his  hands,  for  a  father,  is  better  for  a  child,  than  to  have 
all  the  euatc  put  into  his  own  hands,  and  to  be  rendered 
fupreme  and  independent.  So  for  us  Sinners  to  repent 
and  be  converted,  to  return  to  God  through  jefus  Chriir, 
and  to  have  him  for  our  God  and  Father,  is  better — yea, 
infinitely  better  than  to  have  all  the  Univerfe  put  into  our 
hands.  Aral  to  love  his  chara&er.  delight  in  his  exalta- 
tion, rejoice  in  his  fapremacy  and  independency,  and  in 
the  infinite  wifdom  and  abfolute  perfection  of  his  univerfai 
government,  and  to  be  full  of  holy  fear  and  reverence,  fub- 
miflive,  reiigned,  obedient,  as  dutiful  children,  is  not  on- 
ly an  honour  due  to  God  from  11%  but  alio  our  high  eft 
privilege  and  happinefs.  It  is  Heaven  on  Hart!;.  It  is 
even  the  beginning  of  eternal  life  in  the  fool.  And  no- 
thing but  criminal  blindnefs  can  prevent  its  appearing  fo 
to  us  ail.  Pfal.  Ixxvii,  22.  So  fooiijh  -vcas  I,  and  ignorant  j  I 
wets  as  a  beoj}  before  thee. 

I  will  bj  tbtir  GoJ,  as  it  is  in  its  own  nature  the  great- 
er poffible  good;  io  it  is  the  grand  blefEng  of  the  Gofpel3 


^2  GOD  THE  SUPREME  GOOD,  SEC. VII.] 

in  which  all  the  relt  finally  terminate.  Heb.  iv.io.  Rev. xxi.  7. 
Regeneration,  repentance  towards  God,  Faith  towards  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  juftincation,  adoption,  fanctification,  and 
glorification,  confiJered  under  the  notion  of  Gofpel  privi- 
leges and  blefiings,  all  Summarily  confift,  in  our  being 
delivered  from  an  everlafling  feparation,  in  temper  and 
Hate,  from  the  Deity,  with  its  confequences ;  and  brought 
tij  an  evcrlailincr  enjoyment  of  God,  as  our  Father,  friend 
and  portion.  By  the  fall  we  loft  God,  we  loll  his  image 
and  favour,  we  loit  a  heart  to  love  him,  and  a  right  to  en- 
joy him  ;  we  became  difaffected  to  him,  and  we  forfook 
him,  and  were  doomed  to  depart,  to  be  forever  given  up 
to  the  power  of  fin,  and  to  be  monuments  of  the  divine 
wrath  forever.  In  regeneration,  repentance,  faith,  j unifi- 
cation, adoption,  fanttification,  and  glorification,  we  are 
recovered  to  the  image  and  favour  cf  God,  to  a  heart  to 
love  him,  and  a  right  to  enjoy  him,  and  to  the  actual  love 
and  enjoyment  of  him  as  our  God,  our  fupreme  good,  our 
Father,  friend  and  portion.  Everlafting  or  eternal  life,  is 
the  phrafe  mod  commonly  ufed  to  exprefs  fummarily  all 
the  bleilings  cf  the  Gofpel,  in  contraft  with  eternal  death 
the  wages  of  the  firft,  the  wages  of  ever  ,  fin.  Joh.  iii.  15, 
16,  36.  Chap.  iv.  14  Chap.  v.  27.  Chap,  vi.  40,  47. — 
Rom.  vi.  23;  &c.  And  our  Saviour  tells  us  wherein  eternal 
life  confifts.  Joh.  xvii.  3.  This  is  life  eternal  to  know  thee, 
the  only  true  God,  and  J  ejus  Chrift  ivbom  thou  haft  J'ent.  God 
the  Father,  who  is  eminently  Father  and  Lord  of  Heaven 
and  Earth  (not  exclufive  of  the  Son  and  Spirit)  is  confidered, 
as  the  fum  and  fountain  of  all  perfection  and  of  all  good. 
Pfal.  lxxiii.  25.  ll''bom  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  P  and 
there  is  none  on  Earth  1  defer e  hefedes  thee.  Chriit  is  confi- 
dered, as  the  way  to  the  Father,  the  only  way  in  which 
Sinners  can  come  to  the  enjoyment  of  him.  Joh.  xiv.  6. 
I  am  the  way,  no  wan  cometh  to  the  Father  hut  by  me.  And 
the  holy  Spirit  is  confidered,  as  the  perfon  by  whom  we  are 
quickened,  raifed  from  the  deal,  and  brought  to  God  thro' 
Jefus  Chrift.  Eph.  ii.  18.  Thro'  Chrift  we  have  accefs  by  the 
Spirit  to  the  Father.  And  when  the  work  of  Redemption  is 
completely  nnifhed,  and  all  the  redeemed  brought  to  Hea- 
ven.  God  will  be  all  in  all  through  eternal  ages.  1  Cor.xv.28. 
Therefore,  /  will  be  their  God,  is  the  grand  blelTmg  cf  the 
Gofpel,  in  which  all  the  reft  finally  terminate.  This  there- 
fore, is  iu  an  eminent  manner  that  Treafure  in  a  field.  Matt. 


SEC.  VII.]        WILLING  TO  BE  RECONCILE©.  93 

i  xiii.  44.  That  Pearl  of  great  price  (ver.  46)  for  which 
:  every  divinely  enlightened  foul,  willingly  and  joyfully 
'  fells  all  things.  God  himfelf,  to  be  loved  and  enjoyed 
through  Jefus  Chriit,  is  the  royal  lead,  fhadovved  and  re- 
prefented  by  the  marriage  a  king  made  for  bis  J on,  which 
;  was  fo  flighted  and  defpiied  by  thofe  wno  were  called  and 
1  kindly  and  earnestly  invited  to  come.  Matt.  xxii.  And 
this  is  that  bread  to  be  eat  in  the  kingdom  of  Heaven ,  that 
great  fupper,  from  coming  to  which,  they  all  ixith  one  conjent 
dejired  to  be  excufed.  Luk.  xiv.  This  is  that  recompence  of 
re-ward,  the  everlafting  enjoyment  of  God,  which  Mnfes 
had  in  view  through  all  his  trials,  for  be  endured  as  feeino- 
him  <iv bo  is  invijibie.  Heb.  xi.  26,  27.  And  by  the  way, 
i  this  is  the  true  reafon,  that  the  great  feaji  (p^at.  xxii.)  was 
flighted,  and  the  great  fupper  (Luk.  xiv.)  defpifed  by  the 
Jews,  whoall  reckoned  of  going  toHe2ven,as  much  another 
carnal  people  do.  Even,  this  is  the  true  reafon,  that  the 
happinefs  propofed  in  the  Gofpel,  is  as  much  difrelifhed  by 
carnal  hearts,  as  the  hoiinefs  which  is  there  urged.  For 
the  happinefs  is  a  holy  happinefs,  a  kind  of  happiness  which 
an  unholy  heart  entirely  difrelifhes.  Therefore,  they  made 
light  of  it,  and  went  their  ways.  They  looked  upon  it  as 
a  burden,  and  dejired  to  be  excujed.  For  in  it.net  truth  there 
is  no  fuch  Heaven  as  carnal  hearts  imagine,  when  ravilhed 
to  think  their  fins  are  pardoned,  and  Keaven  their  own. 
Their  God,  their  Chrift,  their  Heaven,  are  all  the  fruit  of 
their  own  imaginations,  and  Satan's  de'lufions.  For  the 
Heaven  of  the  Gofpel  carnal  men  would  not  have,  if  they 
tnig'u.  Yea,  they  perfectly  difrelifh  it,  they  abfolutely 
reject  it,  they  obitinateiy  refufe  it,  and  many  will  fooner  kill 
the  rnefiengers  who  invite  them;  than  come  tothefeait.  Thug 

our  Saviour  ftates  the  cafe.  Mat.  xxii.  6. But  to  return. 

If  the  abfolute  perfection*  the  infinite  glory  and  amiable- 
nefs  of  the  fupreme  Governor  and  Lord  of  the  Univerfe, 
renders  him  the  fupreme  and  ail-fufhcient  Good  ;  then,  a* 
foon  as  our  eyes  are  opened  to  fee  his  abfolute  perfection, 
his  ineffable  glory  and  beauty,  he  will  begin  to  appear 
fuch  to  our  fouls.  For  now  we  begin  to  fee  things  as  they 
be.  For  this  is  what  is  meant  by  our  eyes  being  opened. 
And  if  God  does  appear  fuch  to  our  fouls  ;  to  quit  all 
idols,  to  return  to  him,  to  love  him,  to  live  to  him,  to  be 
for  him,  to  have  him  for  our  God  and  father  and  portion 


94  COD  THE  SUPREME  GOOD,         [SEC.  VII. 

ne  an!  to  eternity,  will  be  eiteemed  the  highcft  pofli- 
ivilege,  if  wc  may. But, 

e   fame   abfolute   perfection  and  infinite   glory  and 

y  of  '.he  divine  nature,  which  renders  God  thefupreme 
bim  irfinitely  worthy  of  fupreme  love  and 

he,  and  cur  difaffection  infinitely  criminal,  and  us  in- 
finitely ill  -  defer  ving :  fo  that  it  would  be  even  a  glorious 

.  God  to  banilh  us  forever  from  his  prefence.  Nor 
according  tc  his  holy  law,  that  perfect  rule  of  right,  is  any 
thing  elfe  to  be  cxpeaed.  Nor  in  this  view  is  there  any 
L^r  cafe.  Yea,  it  does  not  appear  how  he  can 
c  .  ent  with  his  honour  do  any  lefs  than  call  off  forever, 
creatures  fo  infinitely  vile.—      But, 

J  I.  If  j<  ias  of  Nazareth  is  the  Son  of  God,  it  is  certain 
peyond  all  dilute,  that  the  holy  and  righteous  Governor 
ct  the  tforld  c~n  confidently  with  his  honour,  and  is  wil- 
ling to  become  a  God  and  Father  and  everlalting  portion 
to  any,  the  vileft  and  the  worft,  that  fhall  return  to  him 
through  Jefus  Chrift.- For, 

If  the  ahfolutely  perfect  Being  has  given  his  own  Son, 
cf  equal  glory  with  himfelf,  to  be  incarnate,  to  obey  and 
die  in  the  room  of  Sinners,  to  magnify  his  law  and  make 
it  honourable,  to  declare  his  rightecufnefs,  that  he  might 
be  juft,  and  yet  the  juftiher  of  him  th.it  believeth  in.  Jefus  ; 
and  if  he  has  finiihed  the  work  appointed  him  to  do  ;  and 
if  in  teltimony  of  his  Father's  acceptance  and  full  fatisfac- 
tion,  he  hath  railed  him  from  the  dead,  yea  fet  him  at  his 
own  right  hand  in  Heaven,  wh~re  he  appears  in  the  cha- 
racter or'  a  great  high  Prieil,  with  his  own  blood,  and  ever 
livetn  to  make  int-erccfiion  ;  rti  coniequence  of  which  by 
the  decree  of  Heaven,  repentance  and  remifiion  cf  fins,  are 
ordered  to  be  preached  to  all  nations  in  his  name,  and 
whofoever  will,  may  come,  however  vile  and  ii'-deferving  ; 
)■•.  a,  all  arc  invited  to  come,  and  prayed  and  bsfeeched  to 
be  reconciled  to  God,  who  is  reprefented  as  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  returning  Sinner,  as  the  Father  was  to  receive 
his  returning  prodigal.  If  all  this  is  true — and  all  this  is 
true  if  Jefus  is  the  Mcfliah ; — then  beyond  all  doubt,  God 
can  coriiilently  with  his  honour,  and  is  willing  to  receive 
to  favour,  and  to  become  a  Go  i  and  Father  to  all,  whoever 

they  be,  that  (hall  return,  to  him  through  Jefus  Chrift. . 

Where  fere, 


SEC.  VII.]       WILLING   TO  BE  RECONCILED.  95 

As  it  appears  to  the  enlightened  foul  the  fitted  and  hap- 
pieil  thing  imaginable,  to  return  to  the  God  of  glory,  as 
his  rightful  Lord.and  fupremo  Good,  to  live  to  him  and 
upon  him,  if  he  may  ;  and  as  in  this  view  of  things,  he  is 
allured  that  liberty  is  granted  to  any,  the  vilcft  and  the 
woril,  to  return  through  J  el  us  Chriit ;  lb  now.  with  the  pro- 
digal Son  in  Luk.  xv.  he  does  return,  and  find  acceptance. 
And  thus  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jefus  Chriil  begins 
eternal  life  in  the  foul,  agreeable  to  our  Saviour's  words 
in  Joh.  xvii.  3.  T'bis  is  life  eternal,  to  knoiv  thee,  the  only 
true  God,   and  Jefus  Chrijt  nvbom  tbcu  baft  fent. 

And  from  thefo  truths  thus  briefly  Stated,  we  may  fee — 
how  great  the  good  offered  in  the  Golpel  is — how  tree  it 
is  offered — the  fin  and  madnefs  of  rejecting  it — theablur- 
dity  of  believing  we  have  a  title  to  Heaven,  when  the  very 
Heaven  offered  is  rejected  with  abhorrence. 

I.  The  good  offered  in  the  Gofpel  is  of  infinite  worth 
and  value.  Yea,  it  is  the  fum  and  fubftance  of  all  good 
in  the  Univerfe.  For  even  God  himfelf  offers  to  be  oar 
God  and  Father  and  portion.  This  was  originally  man's 
fupreme  good  in  Paradife-  This  was  forfeited  by  our 
apoitacy.  The  fecond  Adam,  our  near  kinfman,  has  re- 
deemed the  inheritance,  and  opened  a  way  for  us  to  come 
to  a  lawful  poffeffion.  The  curfe  of  the  law  doomed  us  to 
an  everlafting  feparation  from  God,  but  tiie  blcod  of  Chrift 
has  opened  a  way  for  us  to  come  to  the  everlafting  enjoy- 
ment of  him. 

in  Heaven  they  enjoy  God  as  the  fupreme  good  ;  they 
are  raviihed  with  the  glories  of  his  nature,  charmed  with 
the  beauties  of  his  character,  exquifitely  delighted  in  his 
exaltation,  in  his  fuprcmacy,  in  his  univerlal  perfect  go- 
vernment, crying,  holy,  hcly,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hclis, 
the  whole  Earth  is  full  of  his  glory  ;  and  they  are  as  flames 
of  fire,  ail  love,  life,  a&ivity,  in  the  delightful  fervkc  of 
their  glorious  Kin^.  Even  fo  here  on  Earth,  we,  who 
have  bien  oaccalb,  are  invked  to  return,  come  home,  and 
be  reconciled  to  the  God  of  glory,  the  God  that  made  vst 
and  view  his  nature  and  all  his  conduct  as  they  do,  become 
of  the  fame  temper,  and  members  of  the  fame  family,  and 
join  in  like  ho-ly  employments  and  pleafures.  Thy  kingdom 
io?ne,  tby  will  be  done,  on  Earth,  as  it  is  in  Heaven.  There 
is  a  great  high  Priefj  entered  into  Heaven  with  his  own 
K     2 


96  GOD   THE  SUPREME  GOOD,  fSEC.  VIJ. 

blood  ;  and  in  his  name,  u  e,  who  deferve  to  be  numbered 
with  the  damned,  are  invited  to  come  with  boldnefs  in  within 
the  vail,  and  to  begin  our  Heaven  on  Earth: — To  this 
feaft  we  are  invited  to  come,  and  we  may  eat  and  drink  as 
much  as  wc  pieafe.  We  have  full  and  free  liberty  to  have 
accefs  to  the  fountain  of  all  good,  the  God  of  glory,  the 
iupremc  Lord  of  the  Univerfe,  to  view  the  beauty  of  his 
alter,  to  be  charmed  with  the  glories  of  his  nature,  to 
rejoice  that  he  is  God  over  all   bleffrd  forever,    that   he 

and  will  forever  reign,  that  his  government  is  uni- 
r  J  and  abfoluiely  periect ;  and  through  Jefus  Chrilt, 
we  may  come  and  put  our  trull  under  the  fnadow  of  his 
wings,  and  in  his  name  look  up  to  him  for  all  things,  and 
iove  and  cleave  to  him  and  delight  in  him  with  all  our 
hearts  ;  and  devote  our  whole  lives  to  his  fervice,  fervent 
in  fpirit,  ferving  the  Lord;  prefling  toward  the  mark  for 
the  prize  (the  everlafting  enjoyment  of  God)  of  our  high 
balling  of  God  in  Jefus  Chrilt.  And  the  peace  of  God 
,)   pifleth  all  undemanding  will  keep  our  hearts  and 

through  jefus  Chrift  ;  and  the  end  will  be  eternal 

liie. And, 

II.  All  this  is  offered  freely,  without  money,  and  with- 
out price,  to  us  infinitely  unworthy  and  ill-deferving, 
through  Jefus  Chriil.      Come,  for  all  things  are  ready,  (i) 

( i)  If  vje  are  invited  to  afcajl  by  a  neighbour,  the  invi- 
tation gives  us  a  good  right  to  go.  And  if  God  invites  us  to 
repent,  return  and  be  reconciled  to  him,  the  God  cf  glory,  the 
Jkpreme  Good,  through  J  ejus  Chrift,  and  enjoy  him  as  the  por- 
tion of  our  fouls,  the  heavenly  feafi,  it  gives  us  good  right  to 
do  Jo.  Even  as  good  a  right  as  the  lfraslites  had  to  take  and 
cat  the  manna  which  lay  around  their  tents.  Of  this  there  can 
he  no  di/pute.  But  all  thefe  invitations  give  us  no  right  nor 
warrant  to  believe  t  hat  our  fin  t  are  pardoned  and  God  reconciled 
to  us  vjbile  impenitent,  nubile  we  refufe  to  cc?ne  to  the  feajl  to 
which  we  are  invited,  and  even  dejpife  and  hate  it. — Had  God 
exprefsly  declared,  "  if  you  vjill  believe  your  fins  are  forgiven, 
they  jhall  be  forgiven.  Here  I  cjfer  you  pardon  as  your  own, 
impenitent  as  you  are,  only  believe  1  thus  offer  it,  and  that  this 
offer  makes  it  yours,  Jo  as  that  you  may  with  a  good  warrant 
believe  it  is  your  own,  and  enjoy  the  comfort  of  it  as  fitch  ;  and 
according  to  your  Faith,  Jo  jhall  it  be  to  you.  I  pray  you,  I  be- 
fcech  you  believe  and  take  it  home  to  your f elf,  impenitent  as  you 


SEC.  VII.]       WILLING  TO  BE  RECONCII.T^,  ^7 

Yea,  it  is  urged  upon  us,  we  are  prayed  -uc  befeeched  to 
be  thus  reconciled  to  God  ;  and  by  »;very  motive  from  duty 
and  intertlL  f;om  God  and  Chriit,  from  Heaven  and  Hell, 
we  are  pre  fled,  we  are  compelled,  we  are  in  a  manner 
forced  to  come  in.  Having  not  only  verbal  declarations, 
that  hvhofoever  will  may  come  y  but  the  higheft  poiiible  evi- 
dences from  facts,  that  God  can  confidently  with  his  ho- 
nour, and  is  willing  to  receive  thofe  who  do  come.     The 

are,  and  vou  never  f:  all  be  dif appointed.1*  Had  God  thus  de- 
clared, it  bad  been  another  cafe  y  but  there  is  not  one  tittle  in 
the  Bible  that  looks  that  n    .;  .      Tea,  injlead'of this,  God  has 

exprefsly  declared,  excepc  ye  repent  ye  ihall  ail  pcriih. 

Therefore,  repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  fins  may  be 
blotied  out. 

And  this  may  help  the  weakejl  Chriftian  to  fee  through  the 
mijl,  that  Mr,  Cudworth  raifes.  p.  250.  Note,  the  grand 
objections  againjl  their  'notions  of  Faith,  Mr.  Cud  worth  has 
done  nothing  to  remove.  2 ea  he  has  not  had  courage  to  look 
them  fairly  in  the  face. — According  to  their  fcheme,  \ft  "  I  a 
Sinner  cut  of  Chrijl,  am  condemned  by  the  tavo,  and  under  the 
wrath  of  God,"  agreeable  to  John  iH.  18.  36. — And  this  is 
the  -very  truth.  And  in  the  view  of  this  truth,  they  fay,  "I  am 
necejfjarily  full  of  hatred  and  hcarl-rfngs  againjl  God.**  So 
that  (2)  it  is  °  utterly  impojjible"  that  1  r  love  God 

until  1  frji  rf  all  kr.cw  that  eGod  is  reconciled  to  me,  loves  me 
and  will  J'ave  me."     And  yet  they  fay  (■})   That  "  /  a  i 
out  of  Chrijl,  have  no  evidence  from fcrij  t  or  no/on, 

that  God  is  reconciled  to  me,  loves  me  and  will  fa~:e  me,  nay, 
Jo  far  from  it,  that  in  facl  1  am  condemn  wrath  of 

God  ubideth  on  me."     However  1  **  1  a 

Sinner  out  of  Chrijl,  jujl  as  I  am,   am  firmly  to  believe,   that 
God  is  reconciled  to  me,   loves  me  and  will  fu-ve  me."      And 
(5)  <<  God  Jlands  bound  by   his  promife,    that  I  jhall  never  be 
difappointed"      This  is  their Jcheme  fairly  fiated  \ — At 
which,  among  other  things,  1  object  (1.)    That  their  F 
prcfumption.     A  believing  without  evidence.      There  b  ing  no 
evid-nce  that  **God  is  reconciled  to  me,  a  Sinner  cut  of  Ct  1  iff.1' 
(2.)  Their  Faith  is  down-right  delufion.  Believing  a  lie,  viz. 
That  '*  God  is  reconciled  to  me,   a  Sinner  cut  of  C  :rjt,   loves 
me  and  will  five  me."     While  in  truth,  every  Sinner  out  f 
Chrijl,  is  condemned  now,  and  will,  dying  as  he  is,  be  damned 

K    3 


9S  GOD   THE   SUPREME   GOOD,  [SEC.   VII. 

the  incarnation,  life,  death,  refurrection,  and  exalta- 
tion of  his  S   n  is   more  than  v.  ords,   than   promifes,   than 
,  todrmonftrate  that  God  is  fiocene  and  in  earneir. 
h  .:.  there  it  on  God's  nde  no  bar,  no  difficulty  in  the 
.  all  liiiiigs  are  ready,  and  we  may  come  to  the  reaft  and 
wcicome.     In  the  Univcrfe  there  is  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  an  hindrance  or  impediment*   which  can   prevent  our 

CDming,  are  we  ourfelves  but  inclined  to  come. But, 

III.  If  through  mere  difinclination  to  the  Deity,  to  the 

God  that  en  icves,   the  God  of  glory,    we  make 

light  of  the  feall,  av.d  po  cur   ways,   turn  our  backs  upon 

n  and  be  reconciled,  even  after  a  way 

has  been  opened  for  it  by  the  blood  of  his  own  Son,  and 

fuch  methods  have  been  ufed  to  perfuade  us;  it  will 

ted  kind  of  wickednefs  in  the  Uni  verfe, 

ree  of  folly  and  madnefs  not  to  be  paralleled  in 

any  other  part  cf  God's  empire.     And  to  periilt  in  our 

n  to  the  divine  Character  from  year  to  year,  and 

aciled  to  ojr  dying  hour,  mull  render 

us  worthy  of  fuch  a  puniihsaeot,  and  prepare  us  for  fuch- 

(3.)  God  has  no  where  in  the  Bible  given  the  lea/} 
it  of  Cor. ft  do  firmh,    believe  y   that 
:■  reconciled  to  than,  loves  them  a?ut  ivill  jave   them,  it 
em  according  to  their  Faith  :    1 "r;ey  Jhall  ne-ver 
/'      There  is  not  one  text  of  Scripture  that  lecks 
•       itudes  exprefsly  to  the  contrary — Thus  ft  and* 
dodge  and  Jkulk,  and  hide  and  raife 
:,   and  call  had  names  :     Lut  by  cod 
they  never  can  get  ever  thefe  difficulties. 
feel  they   cannot.      Let  any  one  read  My 
es,    and  Mh.   Cudivcrth's    /jnfu:er,    and 
ding  to  their  fcheme,  1  tnuft  believe 
.  • te,  'eves  me  and  'will fa-ve  me  y  Be- 
rt is  utterly  1  tj  love  him.    And  1 7m ft 
','-'   of  my   enmity,   Becuufe  it  is 
•   .                                   •                .  love.      This  Belief  then,  takes 

in  fin,  and  fall  of  enmity  to  Ged. 

f'  is  ■  ,  carnal  heart.      And  it  makes 

•   and  no  ivcnder  it  dees,     And  thefe 

the  Chrifti an  graces  y  when  in 

feelings  of  a  carnal  heart,  comforted  ly 

:f  a  lie. 


SEC.   VII.]       WILLING  TO  BE  RECONCILED.  99 

fcif-ccndemnation,  inward  remcrfe  and  anguiih  of  heart*  as 
no  tongue  can  exprefs.     Then  will  be  aceompliihed  on  im- 
penitent Sinners  the  words  which   a;e  written   in  Prcv.  i. 
24,  J.I.   Becaufe  1  have  calhd,   and  je  have  refufed,   1 
Jl retched  out  ?n\  hand,  and  no  ?.ian  regarded  ;  but  ye  ha 
at  nought  nil  my  counfel,  a::d  v.  1  wf:  I  aljo 

twill  laugh    at  your   ca!a;;ii:j,    I  will  m  ;  jour  fear 

cometh,  Sc.   And  all  hojy  beings  in  the  Univeife,  convi 

of  the  juitice  and  wi&om  of  the  u coo*      :.   will  join 

to  cry,  Amen  Hallelujah.     Wbilt  the fmdee  of  their  1: 
ajcendeth  forever  a>.a    ever. 

IV.  How  great  is  the  abfurd.ty  of  men's  believing  they 
have  by  the  Gofpei  a  title  to  Heaven,  when  they  rejtel 
the  very  Heaven  0 ire  red  in  the  GofpeJ  with  abhorrt 
The  Heaven  offered  is  the  everlasting  enjoyment  of  Goi 
through  jefas  Chriit.  Every  oue.it  enmity  agatnft  ( 
real  character,  as  exhibited  in  the  law,  and  declared  to  be 
abfolutely  perfect  on  the  crofs  of  Chritt,  reject  this  Heaven 
with  abhorrence  L  This  feaft  is  no  feail  to  him.  He  is  lb 
far  from  a  reiim  to  thofe  Heavenly  dainties,  that  his  foul 
loaths  this  food.  To  fay,  that  men  may  come  to  God  by 
Chriil,  and  find  reil  and  fatismction  in  rum,  while  at  the 
fame  time  they  are  enemies  to  his  real  character,  is  as  ab- 
furd,  as  to  fay,  men  may  come  to  a  feail  and  eat  with  plea- 
fure,  when  they  perfectly  diirelifh  every  tiling  fet  before 
them.  It  is  true,  one  who  is  an  enemy  to  the  divine  Cha- 
racter, may  be  raviihed  in  a  belief  his  fins  are  pardoned. 
And  this  he  may  call  a  feail.  And  this  belief  he  may  call 
eating  :  and  with  this  eating  he  may  be  fatitfied,  fo  as  to 
live  contentediy  without  Go  J  in  the  world.  Yea,  his  content- 
ment and  comfort  fuppofes  him  to  be  ignorant  of  the  real 
character  of  the  true  God.  But  it  is  abiurd  to  fuppofe  one 
fhould  choofe  the  true  God  for  his  fupreme  Good  through 
Jefus  Chrift,  while  at  enmity  againil  his  real  character. — 
For  men  will  not  choofe  that  for  the  object:  of  their  delight 
which  in  their  hearts  they  do  not  like.  Nor  will  men  de- 
fire  a  Mediator  to  bring  them  to  the  enjoyment  of  that, 
which  they  have  no  appetite  for,  and  which  they  do  not 
defirc  to  enjoy.  Wiiiie  men  are  enemies  to  the  divine 
Character,  they  have  no  inclination  to  ccme  to  him  through 
Chrift,  rather  their  averiion  to  come,  is  equal  to  their  en- 
mity to  his  character.  Yea,  that  God  mould  actually  be- 
come the  fupreme  good  and  fatisfying  portion  of  a  Sinner> 


100  GOD  THE   SUPREME   GOOD,  CvC.  [SEC.    VII. 

who  is  of  fjch  a  taite,  as  that  God's  real  character  can  give 
him  no  delight  or  fatisfa&ion,  but  the  contrary,  is  a  piain 
coiur...  k*:  11.  W«  n  uil  love  an  object,  or  we  cannot  en- 
joy it.  We  rnuft  be  fuited,  piea/ed,  enamoured  with  the 
divine  Ch^r.icvcr,  or  we  cannot  enjoy  the  Deity.  On  this 
account  therefore  ic  is  abfoiatel)  ucccfUry,  we  become  new 
For  ixc,:  a  man  is  born  again.  Is  cannot  fee  the 
om  of  God.  A  Sinner  could  not  eijoy  Heaven,  were 
he  admitted  and  aiinwed  to  live  there  forever. — Bcfides, 

Altn  r.gh  God  can  coniiiL-ntly  with  his  honour,  pardon 
and  receive  to  favor  the  Sinner  who  returns  to  him  through 
Jefus  C  irift,  an  ;  llands  ready  to  do  it  ;  yet,  it  is  equally 
true,  that  he  can  not  j  confidently  with  his  honour,  pardon, 
and  receive  to  favour,  a  S:nner  who  iefufes  to  return,  while 
g'!ing  or.  obftinate  in  his  rebellion  ;  nor  is  lie  at  all  wil- 
ling to  do  it.  Chriir.  did  not  die,  that  impenitent  Sinners, 
while  inch,  might  be  forgiven,  and  received  into  the  divine 
favour.  God  can  no  more  pardon  an  impenitent  Sinner, 
confidently  with  his  honour,  than  if  Chrift  had  never  died. 
The  decree  of  Heaven  is  fixed,  and  cannot,  and  never  will 
be  revoked,  except  je  repent ,ye  fhall all likenuife perijh. — Bat 
as  this  point  is  of  great  importance,  and  n  generally  de- 
nied by  Antinomians  ;  fo  it  ihall  be  taken  into  more  par- 
ticular conlideration. 


SECTION    VIII, 

Repentance  is  before  Forgivenefs. 

IF  GOD  is  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious 
and  amiable  being,  infinitely  worthy  of  fupreme  love 
and  honour,  and  of  imiverfal  obedience  ;  and  if  our  disaf- 
fection to  the  divine  character  and  rebellion  againft  God, 
is  akoget!:er  inexcufable  and  infinitely  criminal,  agreeable 
to  the  voTce  of  the  divine  law,  and  to  the  import  of  the 
Cicl-.  of  Chrift;  if  God  the  great  Governor  of  the  Uni- 
verfe  views  things  in  this  light,  and  in  this  view  calh  nnto 
us  from  Heaven  to  cenfefs  our  fins,  repent  and  turr  trnto 
him  with  all  our  hearts ;  if  thefe  things  are  fo,  and  they  are 


SEC.  VIII.]  REPENTANCE,  &C.  101 

lb,  if  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God  ;  then  the  meaning  of 
his  words  is  certain,  the  ideas  defigned  to  be  conveyed  by 
them  are  determinate.  To  repent,  beyond  difpute,  is  to 
change  our  minds  as  to  the  divine  Character,  to  lay  aiide 
our  prejudices,  to  cp^n  our  eyes  and  begin  to  look  upon 
God  as  he  is,  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  gloricus 
and  amiable  3eing,  infinitely  worthy  of  fnpreme  love  and 
honour,  and  of  universal  obedience,  and  in  the  light  of  his 
glory  to  begin  to  view  our  difaffection  and  rebellion  as 
altogether  inexcuf.ible  and  infinitely  criminal,  and  in  this 
view,  cordially  to  take  all  that  blame  to  ourfelves  which 
God  lays  upon  us,  and  to  be  affected  accordingly  :  Saying 
»«  righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  when  thou  fpeakelt,  and 
clear  when  thou  judgeft.  Should  juftice  take  place,  no  in- 
iquity could  be  imputed  unto  thee.  It  would  not  be  a  ble- 
mifh,  but  a  beauty  in  thy  Character,  and  all  Heaven  ought 
forever  to  love  and  adore  thy  glorious  Majefty,  lhould  I 
receive  my  juft  defert  and  periih  forever.  But  thou  can  ft 
have  mercy  on  whom  thou  wilt,  through  Jefus  Chrift.  'i  o 
thine  infinite  grace  and  ielf-movir.g  goodnefs  through  him 
I  look. — God  be  merciful  te  me  a  Sinner."  Repentance  ftands 
then  in  oppcficion  to  all  our  former  prejudices  2gainft  the 
divine  character  ;  and  in  oppofition  to  that  fin-extenua- 
ting, felf-juiiifying,  law-hating,  God-blaming  difpcfition 
which  reigns  in  every  impenitent  fool.  God  is  feen  in  his 
beauty,  the  divine  law  as  a  mihift  ration  of  condemnation 
and  death,  appears  glorious,  cur  difaffection  and  rebellion 
infinitely  criminal  :  We  juftify  God,  approve  his  law, 
condemn  ourfelves,  accept  the  punimment  of  cur  iniquity, 
as  worthy  of  God  ;  and  thus  we  confefs,  repent,  and  turn 
unto  the  Lord,  looking  only  to  free  grace  through  Jefus 
Chrift  for  pardon. 

A  man  may  think  himfelf  to  blame  for  Sabbath-break- 
ing, lying,  cheating,  drtinkennefs,  &c.  who  never  thought 
himfelf  to  blame  for  being  difaffected  to  the  divine  Cha- 
racter. Alio  a  man  may  think  himfelf  to  blame  for  not 
believing  that  Chrift  died  for  him  in  particular,  that  God 
loves  him,  that  his  fins  are  pardoned,  or  for  his  being  un- 
affected in  this  belief,  who  never  thought  himfelf  to 
blame  for  not  loving  God  as  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  in- 
finitely gloricus  and  amiable  Being.  Some  may  be  forry 
wherein  they  think  themfelves  to  blame  through  fear  of 
punifliment,  as  was  the  cafe  with  Judas  :     Others  who  be- 


IC2  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC.  VIII. 

lieve  their  fins  are  pardoned,  may,  from  a  principle  of  na- 
tural gratitude,  be  forry  wherein  they  think  themfelves  to 
blame,  a<-  was  the  cafe  with  Saul,  when  David  fpared  his 
life,  i  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  19.  Saul  lift  up  bis  voice  and  wept, 
Sec.  Chap,  xx  vi.  21.  Tbcnfaid  Saul  1  have  finned , — I  have 
played  the  fool,  and  have  erred  exceedingly.  But  he  who  is 
igno-ant  of  the  beauty  of  God's  true  character,  is  blind  to 
tiiw  chief  tning  wherein  his  blame  lies.  And  while  men  do 
not  fee  their  blame,  they  will  fee  no  occafion  to  repent  — 
And  mould  any  charge  fin  home  upon  them  in  fuch  a  cafe, 
they  would  jaftify  themfelves  in  their  hearts. 

The  divine  law,  which  requires  us  to  love  God,  the  ab- 
folutely  perfect,  the  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being, 
with  all  our  hearts,  and  yield  a  perfect  obedience  to  his 
will,  on  the  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  is  holy,  juft  and 
good  ;  our  blindnefs  to  his  beauty  is  wholly  criminal,  our 
fin-extenuating,  felf-j unifying  pleas,  are  of  no  weight,  all 
our  objections  againlt  the  divine  Character  and  law,  are 
only  the  language  of  enmity  againit  the  glorious  Monarch 
of  the  Univerfe,  we  are  entirely  without  excufe,  and  infi- 
nitely to  blame.  Thefe  all  are  facts.  And  thus  God  viewed 
our  cafe  when  he  gave  his  Son  to  die — and  thus  he  views 
our  cafe  when  he  calls  us  to  confefs  our  fins,  repent  and 
turn  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  in  this  light,  therefore,  mud  we 
view  our  cafe,  if  ever  we  become  truely  penitent.  Every 
fin -extenuating,  feif-juitifying  plea  , — every  objection 
againft  the  divine  Character  and  law,  is  a  declaration  that 
we  are  fo  far  from  repentance,  that  as  yet  we  do  not  think 
that  it  belongs  to  us  to  repent,  in  the  fettle  we  are  called 
to  in  the  Gofpel  ;  in  this  cafe  we  do  not  confefs,  but  co- 
ver our  fins. 

In  true  repentance  our  eyes  begin  to  be  opened  to  fee 
things  as  in  fact  they  are.  God's  character  infinitely  ami- 
able, and  our  own  infinitely  odious  ;  his  law  wholly  right 

and  our  ways  as  wrong  and  criminal  as  that  fuppofes.— j 

And  in  this  view  we  begin  to  take  all  the  blame  to  our- 
felves.  (1)     True   repentance  is  therefore  in  confequence 

( I )  Qjeftion.  '*  Hovj  can  a  finite  mind  fee  an  infinite  objeSl  V* 

Anfwer.    AW  by  a  full  comprehenfion  of  it,  cnl\-  by  a  high 

fenfe  and  lively  conviction  that  it  is  iffniie.      As  thus  fuppofe, 

ive  could  fee  nvith  our  eyes,  a  ?nany  for  the  f  ike  of  one  Jhful 

pleafurc,   deliberately  Lap  head-long  devm  into  a  lake  of  fire 


SEC.  VIII.}  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  103 

of  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  and 
of  a  nature  fpecihcally  different  from  any  kind  of  far- 
row  for  iin  a  man  can  experience  who  is  at  enmity  againll 
God. 

Sin  is  the  thing  to  be  repented  of :  and  fin  is  a  tranf- 
grelhon  of  the  law.  And  tne  firft  and  chief  thing  required 
in  the  law,  is  fupremc  love  to  God.  And  thereicre  wan: 
of  fupreme  love  to  God,  our  dilarre&ion  to  his  character, 
and  rebellion  againll  him,  is  our  great  wickedneis,  which 
we  have  to  repent  of.  But  it  will  not  be  in  our  hearts  to 
repent,  unlcfs  we  truly  fee  our  blame.  We  cannot  truly 
fee  our  blame,  unlefs  we  fee  that  which  chiefly  renders  us 

and  brimfione,  which  he  and  iy«  knew  would  never  be  quench- 
ed, and  out  of  which  there  could  be  no  eficape,  and  in  which, 
by  God's  almighty  power,  he  would  be  for  ever  held  up  in  exifi- 
tence,  his  j'e»fie  of  feeling  quick  and  lively,  we  jhouid  pronounce 
the  man  guilty  cf  inji, ate  folly,  ll'e  migi.t  fee  and  know  that 
bis  folly  was  in  fiact  infinite,  although  we  could  by  no  means 
fiuliy  comprehend  the  thing.  So  in  tt;is  fienje,  *ve  are  capable  of 
feeing  and  knowing  that  God  is  infinitely  lovely,  and  we  infi- 
nitely odious  and  lil-deficrving,  how  far  j'cevsr  we  be  f rem  a 
full  adequate  idea  of  infinity.  ll;e  are  capable  of  as  great  a 
fenje  cf  our  infinite  obligations  to  love  God,  as  we  be  of  toe  in- 
finite dreadfulnefs  of  eternal  mifiery.  In  legal  conviction  a  Sin- 
ner begins  to  have  j'sme  lively  fie  fie  cf  tie  infinite  dreadfiulnefis 
of  eternal  damnation  ;  Jo  in  regeneration  and  repentance,  we 
begin  to  have  fome  lively  appreicnyhn  cfi  God's  infinite  amiable - 
nefis,  and  our  infinite  odioujney).  Some  J -y  "  We  jbould  leave  ail 
infinites  out  of  our fie  ..■erne  of  Religion"  And  /o  -we  might,  if 
w-e  were  in  no  connection  with  infinites,  l'o  be  confident,  thefie 
men  jhouid  deny  the  infinite  glery  cfi  God  the  Father,  the  infi- 
nite evil  cy* fin,  the  enmity  ofi  Hell  torments,  the  divinity  of 
Chrifii  j  and  t-len  vci:en  it; us  our  connection  with  infinites  is  at 
an  end,  the  word,  and  ai I  notion  ofi  the  thing,  may  be  excluded 
out  cfi 'Religion  s  b,:i  not  tul  then.  As  fioon  as  theje  men  will 
prove,  thai  G-ni  is  not  an  infinitely  amiable  Bti>g,  and  that 
we  a>  e  to  die  liice  the  beajis,  1  will  jay  nothing  more  about  in- 
finites. Till  then  i  jbaLl  jay  that  the  Sinner,  who  by  rebelling 
againjl  God,  runs  head -long  into  eternal  dcjlrudion,  is  guilty 
cf  infinite  folly ,  as  to  hit  own  foul,  as  well  as  cf  infinite  wick- 
icwarjs  his  Maker,  the  infinitely  glorious  Governor  cf 
the  Vniver;r. 


104  REPENTANCE   IS  [SEC.    VIII. 

to  blame.  But  that  which  chiefly  renders  God  worthy  of 
love,  is  what  chiefly  renders  us  to  blame  for  not  loving 
God.  And  fo  it  is  the  amiablencfs  of  the  divine  Nature 
which  chiefly  renders  us  to  blame  for  not  loving  God.  It 
is  theamir.blenefs  of  the  divine  Nature, which  chiefly  renders 
God  worthy  of  love.  It  is  a  fenfe  of  this,  therefore,  that  dif- 
covers  to  us  the  great  evil  bf  fin,  andfhewsus  thereafon  we 
have  to  be  forry  end  repent ;  and  which  therefore  primarily 
lays  the  foundation  of  true  repentance,  and  without  which  no 
repentance  is  true.  If  I  blame  my  neighbour  for  being 
ground leflly  difafTccted  to  my  character,  I  fhall  not,  I  cannot 
look  upon  him  as  a  true  penitent,  till  beginning  to  look  upon 
my  character  as  I  think  he  ought  to,  he  begins  to  blame  him- 
felf  as  I  do.  It  is  contrary  to  common  fenfe,  to  fuppofe, 
any  other  kind  of  repentance  to  be  true  and  genuine.  And 
if  any  man  abufes  me,  in  name  or  eftate,  through  difaffec- 
tion  to  my  perfon,  no  penitency  for  thofe  abufes,  can  be 
efteemed  genuine,  fo  long  as  the  difaffedtion  from  which 
they  arofe  remains  in  full  flrength.  I  appeal  to  the  uni- 
versal fenfe  of  mankind,  who,  when  it  comes  to  their  own 
cafe,  are  every  one  in  this  opinion.  On  this  ground  it  was 
that  David  put  no  confidence  in  Saul,  notwithstanding  all 
the  tears  and  penitency,  which  his  generoiity  extorted 
from  him.  He  did  not  fuppofe  that  that  kind  of  repentance 
was  any  certain  fign  that  he  was  a  new  man.  Yea,  he 
had  rather  venture  himlelf  with  Achim,  king  of  Gath,  a 
Fhiiiiiine,  a  Pagan,  than  with  him.  i  Sam.  xxvi.|and  xxvii. 
As  want  of  love  to  God,  together  with  difafFeclion  to 
the  divine  Character,  has  influence  into  that  whole  courfe 
of  wicked nefs  which  mankind  in  general  live  in  ;  fo  when 
they  are  in  Scripture  called  upon  to  repent  of  particular 
fins  and  tarn  to  God,  their  want  of  love  to  God,  and 
difa flection  to  the  divine  Characler,  as  manifefted  in  thofe 
particular  6ns,  is  to  be  repented  of,  and  a  hearty  reconci- 
liation to  the  divine  Character  is  implied  in  the  repentance 
they  are  called  unto.  Thus  the  frequent  idolatries  of  the 
children  of  Ifrael,  for  which  they  are  often  called  upon  in 
the  Old  Tetlarrieni  to  repent,  were  manifefl  inftances  of 
want  of  love  to  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  proofs  of  their 
difaffection  to  his  character.  So  the  Jews  hating  and  mur- 
dering the  Sen  of  God,  the  exprefs  image  of  his  Father's 
,.  for  v,  hich  they  were  on  the  day  of  Pentico.t  called 
upon  to  repent,   was  a  manifefc  initance  of  their  want  of 


$EC.  Till.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  10$ 

love  to.  God  and  proof  of  their  difaffeotion  to  his  charac- 
ter. And  there  is  no  fin  whatsoever  that  any  man  is  guilty 
of,  but  what  is  an  inltance  of  difrefped  to  God,  and  diiYe- 
gard  of  his  authority.  Therefore  it  was  fad  in  the  cafe 
of  David's  fin,  that  he  dej'pifed  the  Lord  and  dej'pifed 'the 
commandment  of  tie  Lord.  And  therefore  wherever  any 
one  is  called  upon  to  repent  of  any  particular  fin  a:<a  ttfr*n 
to  the  Lord,  it  is  to  be  understood  in  this  view.  He  hiifh 
finned  againll  God,  defpifed  the  Lord  and  defpilcd  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord,  treated  the  God  of  glery, 
the  great  King  of  the  Univerfe,  With  contempt1.  This  is 
his  crime,  on  this  account  he  is  chiefly  and  abo~ve  ail  to 
blame.  And  th'lt  which  renders  Kim  infinitely  blame-wor- 
t  ,/,   is  that  the  God  whom  he  ha  d,   is  by  natule 

Gk  d,  am  absolutely  perfect.,  ah  infinitely  glorious  ana  ami- 

•  able  rising,  i  ifinitely  worthy  of  fuprehi£  love  and  honour, 
and  univerfal  obedience*     And  (o  in  this  point  of  11. 
the  true  pfenitfent  to  view  his  tranfgreffi  in"! ,  ;  n  1  take  blame 

.  to  himieiY.    A  .   \     e  only  have IJtfined.   Wherefore 

a  fehie  oi  God's  loveiinefs  is  the  firfl:  ar.d  chief  ipring  and 
fourceof  true  repentance,  as  tjlis  brings  into  view  the  rrreat 
evil  of  fin.  Even  as  the  truth  of  the  Gbfpel  is  th.> 
foundation  of  hope  in  the  true  penitent's  cafe.  And  thus 
the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jems  Chriil,  lays  the  founda- 
tion of  ail  religion.  Joh.  xvii.  3.  And  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  fame  Gofpe!  wnidh  we  believe,  was  for 
fubftance  revealed  to  Adam,  and  Believed  by  all  tree  perfi- 
ten:s  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. — Thefe  things 
being  premifed,  1  proceed  to  prove — 

Thai  repentance  is  before  forgivenefs. — And  wi  ofoever 
will  be  at  the  pains,  to  look  the  Bible  tnrough",  will  find, 
that  this  is  a  doctrine  taught  by  Mofes  and  the  Prophets, 
by  Chriil  ar.d  his  Apoftles,  nor  is  there  any  one  point  of 

revealed  Religion  more  plainly  held  fjrth. Le:  uj  be<. 

gin  with  Moles. 

*«  And  now  Ifrael,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require 
of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his 
ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  ferve  the  Lord  thy  G<  d 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul,  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord,  and  his  ftatutes  which  I  command 
thee  this  day  for  thy  good  ?  for  the  Lord  your  God  is 
God  of  Gods,  and  Lord  of  Lords,  a  mighty,  and  a  terrible, 

!_» 


I06  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC.  VIII. 

•  which  regardeth  not  perfons,  nor  taketh  reward.     There- 

.fore  thou  ihalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  keep  his  charge. 
And  his  ftatutes,  and. his  judgments,  and  kis  commandments 
ahvay. — That  thou  rnaycit  tear  this  glorious  and  fearful 
r*:.m-',  the  lord  thy  god."  This  is  a  fpecimen  of 
their  rule  of  duly.  Deut.  x.  i  z,  13,  17.  Chap.  xi.  1.  Chap, 
xxviii.  58. 

*'  And  it  (hall  be  on  the  day  when  you  (hall  pafs  over 
Jordan  unto  the  iard  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee, 
that  thou  ihec  up  great  (tones,   and  plainer  them 

pith  planter;  Arid  thou  lhalt  write  upon  them  all  the 
words  of  this  law — very  plainly.  Half  the  tribes  Handing 
on  Mount  Gerizzim,  i.rid  half  the  tribes  on  Mount  Ebal. 
The  Levites  (hall  fpeak  and  fay  unto  all  the  men  of  lirael 
with  a  loud  voice,  "  Curled,  curled,  curled,  twelve  times 
going,  ail  (urnmed  up  in  f«  Curfed  be  he  that  conhrmeth 
rot  all  the  words  of  this  law  to  do  them  :  and  all  the  peo- 

.  pie  fha.ll  1 ay  Aiir.:n."  Which  curfe,  according  to  St.  Paul, 
comprised  eternal  damnation  in  it,  even  that  eternal  mifery 
which  Chrift  redeems  his  people  from  by  his  death,     So 

.that  befides  being  curfed  in  his  bafket  and  his  (tore,  in  the 
houfe  and  in  the  field,  and  in  all  his  earthly  enjoyments  ; 
he  dying  under  the  curfe  of  the  law'  and  wrath  of  God, 
muit  be  forever  miserable  in  a  future  ftate.  So  inf.rkely 
great  was  the  evil  of  not  loviag  and  obeying  the  Lord 
their  God    Deut.  xxvii.  Gal.  iii.  10,  14. 

In  what  way  np\y  was  an  Ifraelite  to  obtain  pardon  at 
the  hands  of  the  greajt  God  ?  The  cafe  is  plain — accord- 
ing to  the  Levjiical  law,  ence  every  year,  on  the  great  day 
of  atonement,  the  high  Pridl,  in  behalf  of  all  the  congre- 
gation, was  to  take  a  goat  for  a  f.n  offering,  kill  it,  and 
bring  the  blood  within  the  vail,  and  fpiinkle  it  upon  and 
before  the  mercy  feat  ;  for  without  ibedding  of  blocd  there 
was  no  remifiion  ;  for  the  law  was  holy,  juft  and  good. — 
.And  in  token  of  repentance,  as  what  mult  precede  forgi  ve- 
nt fs,  he  was  to  lay  both  liis  hands  on  the  head  of  a  live 
goat,  and  confefsover  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the-  children 
qf  If. a  1.  and  all  their  tianfgrellions  in  all  their  fin?,  and 
thus  put  th.'T!  up.;n  the  head  of  the  goat,  to  be  fen.t  away 
i  to  the  w#ildernpf&.  And  ail  thefe  iniquities  thus  by  con- 
ft  ftiori  put  upon  the  eoat,  he  bore  away  into  a  land  not  in- 
habited. And  it  afterwards  became  a  proverb  among  the 
jfraelkes,  be  tbet  ccveretb  bisjinsjlmil  net  prefper,  but  <wbof» 


SEC.  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  IO7 

confejfetk  and  forfaketh  themfiall  have  mercy.  Lev.  xvi.  15, 
22 — Prov.  xxvii.  13.  For  as  this  was  done  on  the  great 
day  of  atonement  for  alJ  the  congregation;  which  day  bf 
the  way,  was  to  be  wholly,  from  evening  to  evening,  ipent 
in  failing  and  de?p  repentance  ;  And  H»ha4fo6ver~jUil  it  it 
that  Jh  all  not  be  articled  in  that  fame  day,  fo  for  from  being 
pirdoned,  that  he  jkallbe  cut  cjf 'from  among  his  peTfpit,  Lev. 
xxii.  26,  32.  I  fay,  as  this  v.  js  done  on  the  gte&t  day  of 
atonement  relative  to  the  iniquities  of  the  congregation  in 
general  ;  fo  if  any  psYfficular  man  at  any  time  committed 
2  iin,  he  was  to  bring  his  bullock,  and  in  token  of  con- 
feffion  and  repentance,  to  lay  his  hands  upon  his  head 
f-lmitutc  it  to  die  in  his  room  ;  the  plain  import  of  all  which 
was,  "■  I  have  finned,  the  law  is  holy,  jeli  and  £cod  :  I  de- 
ferve  to  die,  and  nave  no  hone  but  from  tl  ierty 

of  God  through  the  atonement. "  And  now  the  bullcci: 
v/^s  flam,  the  blood  fprinkled,  the  bojy  burnt ;  facrificed 
in  the  Sinner's  ilead,  and  fo  atonement,  was  made,  and  hii 
fin  forgiven.  Lev.  iv. — But  if  he  had  not  only  tinned  agai  nil 
the  great  God,  walking  contrary  to  him,  but  alio  in  hit 
fin  injured  his  neighbour,  he  muit.  fir!:,  as  became  a  true 
penitent,  make  refutation  to  his  neighbour,  before  the  fa- 
cririce  of  atonement  was  to  be  oar; red.  Lev.  vi.  5. — Mat. 
v.  23,  24.  And  if,  without  repentance  and  ref.kution,  lik» 
a  hypocrite,  he  came  before  the  Lord  with  his  facrifice,  h» 
would  be  Co  fir  from  obtaining  forgive riefs,  that  it  was  a 
proverb  in  llrael,  The  facrtfees  of  the  --ivic/ced  are  an  ait* 
Ihiriiition  to  the  Lord.  And  relative  to  ail  iailances  of  offer- 
ing  facrifices,  frill  going  or.  impenitent  in  their  fms,  God 
plainly  d  clared  his  utrhoft  abhorrence.  Ifa.  i.  10,  20. 

And  ifa  man  is  truly  penitent,  he  has  net  only  an  heart, 
wirii  the  utmoil  freedom  to  make  reilitution  to  thefe  he  has 
injureU  in  name  or  eitate  ;  but  alio  has  an  heart,  with  equal 
freed o:r.,  to  forgive  and  love  thole  who  have  injured  him, 
although  inftead  of  penitency  and  reftitution,  they  even 
Continue  to  hate,  to  curfe  and  to  uie  him  tiefpitefally  5 
therefore,  our  blefTed  Saviour  plainly  teaches,  that  unlefs 
we  love  fiich  oar  encmicc,  we  cannot  be  the  children  of 
God  ;  Mat.  v.  43,  46.  And  exprefsly  declares,  If  ye  for- 
give net  nen  their  tfefpajf*f}  neither  will  your  Father  for gVU* 
your  /  thap.  vi.  15.     Which  Cutl  off  ail  impenitent 

Sinners  from  pardon.     For  it  is  plain  our  Saviour  means, 
L   2 


IOS  4IPENTANCE  fS  [sEC.  Vlir. 

fuch  a  kin  I  of  forgiving  thcfc  that  trefpafs  againft  us,  as  ia 
.r  to  tr>.c  penitents.     For  he  fays,  ver.  14.  If ; £  far- 

r  will  f-> 

\iu.  And  ace  Difciplcs  to  pray . 

. .  /,  (ver.  1 2.) 
le  all  uiihumbled,  impenitent 
.  truly  to  forgive  others*  from 
their  prefent  dare.    See 
.  xviii.  21.  35. — lylar.  xi. 
.  itter,  fpttefal,  unfor- 
iiieve  th-ir  [ins  pad,   pre- 
1.   If  they  love  their  own 
are  of  a  very  unkind,  un- 
their  opponent: — Repentance 
makes  men  of  a  for  i\  ing,  benevo- 
lent, tender,  friendly  difpofifioji,,  but  when  an  impenitent 
.  ,  .   of  Satan,  beeo.-r.es  confident 

he  is  a  fav  ,  it  naturally  increafes  his 

1  from  pride  proceeds  a  contentions,  bitter  fei- 
nt.— But  to  return  to  the  law  of  Mofes. 

told  all  the  congregation  of 

ce  fnould  purfue  them  fq 

iitci:t  in  their  fins.     If  ye  will 

i  me,   Sec.  (ver.   14)   J  will  appoint   o-ver you 

.:.  (\cv.   1,6)    and  if 'ye  -will  not  for  all  this,  hearken 

then  Ihuill  ptmifh  youfewn  times  mere  for  your  fens. 

ver.;  ifome,  andwill  not  kearktn 

bring  feven  timet   more  plagues  upon yqut  ac- 

'•.'•■.   ver.  2  1.      A>id  if  ye  will  not  be  reformed) 

£c.    i  1  times  more  for  your  fens^  ver. 

j    r  all  this  hearken  unto  mc>  but 

.'  walk   contrary  unto-  you 

ve.r;    27,    z8>     Ye  fhall perijh  among  the  Hen* 

the, is.   v  r.  58.     Rut  if  afier  all  this,  they  moult!  become 

trulv  ■•    would   forgive  them. — If  they 

fhall  co  fefs    t'  id  the  iniquity  of  tkeir  Fathers, 

J/cd  ugai::fi  me,  and  alfo 

unto,  me  ,   and  that  I alfo  ha-v* 

unto  them,   and  have  brought  them  into  the 

1  -  j     f  then  their  uncircumcifed  hearts  b* 

ben  accept  the  punifhment  of  their  iniquity  :_ 

Then  will  1  rein  mber  my  Covenant  with  facob,  a::d  alfo  my 

,;a;it  wiih  Ifaac,  and  alfo  my  Qa-venani  with  /Ibrahatn\ 


IEC.  VIII. 1  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  IOQ 

wo  ill  I  remember  ,*  and  I  will  remember  the  Land.  ver.  40, 

41,421      -  yp> 

See,  to  the  iame  purpofe,  Dc*ut.  xxx.  T,  2,  3.  And  it 
Jhall  ccme  to  paj's  w  :en  alMbeji  things  arc  come  upon  thee,  the 
hlej/ng  and  the  curfe  *xrhfch  I  have  jet  before  thei,  and  thou 
(halt  call  them  to  mind  fe/fcW  all  the  natibns,  whither  the 
Lord  thy  God  hath  driven  thee,  and  /halt  return  unto  toe  Lord 
thy  God,  Sec.  with  all  thy  heart  and  wit  to  all  thy  jlul  i  that 
then  the  Lord  thy  God  will  turn  thy  captivity  and  lave  com' 
■  on  t,  -c,  &C;  Compared  with  Eiek:  xn\i.  25,  33. 
Where  God  declares  Concerning  the  Jews  in  Babylon,  that 
he  Will  firft  bVftrg  them  to  repentance,  and  then  reitore 
them  to  their  Land.  In  the  day  that  I  /hall  have  cleanfed 
you  from  a' I  your  iniquities,  I will  alfo  caiife  you  to  dwell  in 
the  City,  Sic.  And  in  this  view,  read  Daniel's  confeiiien  and 
prayer,  in  the  behalf  of  the  captive  Jews.  Dan.  ix.  1,  19. 

And  as  this  was  the  true  fpirit  of  the  Mofaic  difpenia- 
tion,  that  Repentance  is  before  Fbrgivenefs  ;  (o  Solomon, 
in  his  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  Temple,  which  was 
"planned  on  that  difpenfattbfr,  and  may  ferve  to  (hew  the 
true  nature  of  it,  eipreflly  and  repeatedly  holds  forth  this 
doctrine,  that  Repentance  is  before  Fqrgivehefs.  One  can- 
not well  fee  in  h  >W  ftrcmg  a  poir:t  of  li^ht  this  is  fct,  with- 
out  reading  the  whole  prayer.  1  Kin.  viii.  The  Temple 
was  a  type  of  the  Son  of  God  incarnate.  God  dwelt  in  it, 
as  afterwards  he  ciid  in  the  m^.n  Chrilt  je'us.  My  natne 
'Jhall  he  there,  ver.  29.  And  fo  in  ail  their  prayers  the  peni- 
tent Jews  looked  towards  the  holy  Temple,  and  then  God -heart} 
in  Hearveri  his  dwelling  place.     Whin  •  IJrdelfbdll 

be  f mitt  en  down  before  the  vnc?ny,  becau/t  ted  again/} 

thee,  and  jhall  turn  again  unto  thee,  and  coifefs  thy  name,  and 
pray  ctrtd  mdke  f 'application  unto  thee  in  this  hcufe  ;  then  hear 
thou  in  Heaven,  and  forgive,  Sec.  ver.  33,  34.      When  Hea- 
"ven  is  fhut  up,  and  there  is  no  rain,  becaufs  thty  frned  again/} 
thee,  if  they  pray  towards  this  place  and  confefs  thy  name,  and 
turn  from  their  fin,  C5 V.  then  hear  thou  in  Heaven,  and  forgive, 
'&e*  Ver.  35,  36.     If  there  be  tit  ihe  land famine,  pejltlende, 
&c.  &t.   vehat fever  plague,   nvbatfoever 'fieknefs  there   he; 
what  prayer  and  fupvlicatiou  foever  be  made  by  any  man,  or  by 
all  thy  people  lfrael,  which  fall  hnow  every  man  the  plague  cf 
his  own  heart,  and  j'prcad forth  his  hands  towards  this  hcufe  j 
then  hear  then  in  Heaven,  and  forgive,   and  de,   and  give  t§ 


no  repentance  is  [sec.  vnr. 

every  man  according  to  his  ways,   (i.  e.  according  as  he  ap- 

.  or  nor)  wbofe  heart  thru  knowejl.  Yer. 

e,  and  thou  be  angry  with 

.:,  fo  that   they  carry  them 

enemy,  far  or  near;  yet  if 

i .   -  the  land  whither  they  were  carried 

lication  ur.ta  thee,    in  the 
i  captives,  faying,  we  ha 

■ ,    and 
nto  tbte  with  all   their  heart,  and  ixith  ail  their 

cap- 

thou  gav- 

thou  baft  chofen,  and 

name,   then  hear  thou  in 

ve.  ver.  46,  47,  48,  49,  50.  (1) 

Ye  2 .  ; r fa  1  maxim ,  He  that 

'  :r  ;    hut   whofo   confcjfetb  c.?:d 

u  Prov.  xxviii.  13.     And  not 

rod's  own  heart,  could  be  ex- 

.  hen  he;  ftnncd  ;  he  mufl  confefs  and  repent,  be- 

.  ,    and  be  followed   with  terror 

and.,  U  he  cid.  Pfal.  xxxiij  3*  4,  5.  When  Ikeptfi- 

(1)    Seme  to  ev  xde  the  force  of  thefe  plain  texts,  have  pre,- 

',    '''  thai  tie  repentance  inffed  r:pon  in  Lev.  xxvi.  and 

'viit.  was  mei  %s  repentance,  which  could 

intitle  s,  but  not  to  the 

. life."--  -  as  well  fat; 

required,  nor  pi 

and  et  ■  •  rene/zs,  to  the 

viiith  chap.  <f  1   Ki     ss   and fo  exclude  all  who  lived  before 

'   t     mal  fat  nation.      For  they  may 

be   chain  .  .  /}  than  tbefe .      Tie 

truth  is,  that  in  the  fewij  ion,  which  was  altogether 

f  the  Heavenly, 

il.curfes,  and-tbeir  facrifces  of 

fChrift,  and  their  tcmple,cf  the 

ivas  not  only  ex- 

'  from  outward  ah  •       . .      d  c.r-d 

d'.     \1js  certain  Saint  Paul,  viewed  the   Jevitfb 

fation  .  da!,  id.   10,  29,  and  from  tht 

t  Heir    us  t).  roygbqqt. 


fcEC.  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  HI 

lerice,  my  acnes  nuaxedold ;  through  my  roaring  all  the  i 

For  d* 

is  tur 

unto  i  -  a<ve  I  vet  Tfa 

. .  U  {jiens  unto  the  Lord,  *  id,  .     .   tfk 

im  ui  i  y  of  tn  y  Jt ,  t  A  r  <1 , 

lfaiahj  I  i  crys  to  every  or.e 

that  is  a-thirft,  to  tome  .:'"ne  place 

docs  as  plainly  tench,  ;::;.:  Rcpencancc  is  '^fore  For 
nefs.      Ifai.lv.  7.    Let  the  wicked  fir, 
unrighteous   man  his 

Lord,  and  '        rJe  mercy  on  him  ;   <.  Gdd,j  r  /.  e 

nvill  a  -.  r     t. -\nd, 

Jerjmhh  preaches  :■  db£?rine.     J?r.  ii.  5.    '. 

faith  the  L  in  me, 

that  they  ha  •  xr    '  ;  7  ;:   ,  -  r  «zvi- 

tfitj  ,  andai  .    ?     Ver.  11-    Hath  a  natit 

G    V,    -jrich  are  yet  ?.o  Gcds  ?    But 

:"•  19. 
reft  ihec,  and  toy  r. 
reprove  thet  .*''  .  . 

t   .       and  bitter ',  that  thou     .  the  Lord  \  & 

that  mj  fear  is  :   e  Lord  God 

iii.  12.  Go,  and p'roci  words  ionjoa 

fay,  return,  thou  hackjliding  I  fat  I,  faith  tot  L 
r.ot  caufe  mine  anger  to  fati  upon  you.     Chap.  iy.  ■ . 
kuilt  return %    O  Ifrasl,  faith  the  Lord,  r  I 
3,  4.     Thus  faith  the  Lord  to  the  men  of  ju 
lem,.  break  up  your  folloiM  ground)  ai  . 
Circumcije  yourfel'ves  to  the  Lcr  . 
cfxour  hearts,  iejl  my  fury  come  f oft    . 

Ezeki-1,   infpired  bv  the  ia:r.e   :  .  .    ■    the  fame 

language.  Chap,  xvlii.  50,  37,  32; 
Jelites from  all your  tranfgrej/ianr :  ,'■  i 
ruin.  Cajl  anvayfrom  you  all  your  <r 
ha<ve 

For  >zw''v  will  you  die,  O  hqufe  of  Ifraei  . 
fare  in  the  death  cf  him  that  die 
fbfet  jes,  and'litt'e ye.    C  A  the 

•d  turn  from  his  way,   ■'    . 
<willye  du%  O  bouf  -fiji 
langu.i^e  of  Jj4o-c-a'v  prayer,  before  cited.   1  Km,  vi\l. 


112  REPENTANCE    IS  [sEC.   VIII. 

46,  50.(1)  To  the  fame  purpofe  fee  alfo,  Hof,  xiv.  1,  2 
3.  Joel  ii.  12,  iS. — But  to  pal's  on  to  the  New-Teflament. 
1  the  Baptlft,  who  was  fenfc  to  prepare  the  way  for 
-  kingdom  of  the  Mefliah.  into  which  no 
man  could  enter  unlcfs  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  (Joh. 
iii.  5.}  preached  in  the  wildernefs  of  Judea,  faying,  repent 
for  t .  of  Heaven  is  r.t  hand.     As  if  he  had  laid, 

"  Such  i:  the  nature  of  the  Rfreflian's  kingdom,  fo  holy,  fo 
like  to  that  kingdom  which  is  in  Heaven,  that  no  impeni- 
tent Sim  er  while  fuch,  can  be  a  member  of  it,  or  fhare  in 
its  bl  .-leic,  rej  ent,  for  the  kingdom  of  Hea- 

ven is  at  •  iah  will  foon  make  his  appearance, 

repent  and  be  prepared  to  receive  him."  Thus  he  p  cached, 
and  m  'ire:;  of  lfrael  did  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their 

God,  and  fo  m  d'far  the  Lord  J  ejus. 

i.  16,  17.  For  when  the  Meffian  made  his  appearance 
although  many  were  filled  with  a  temporary  joy,  yet   not 

eceived  him,  as  the  Mefliah,  but  thefe  who  were  born 
cf  God.  joh.  i.  11,  12,  13.  1  joh.  v.  1.- — This  doctrine  of 
repentance  John  preached  to  all  the  people,  to  the  Pharir 
fees,  to  the  Sadciuces,  to  the  Pqbltcans,  Soldiers,  &c.  and 
1  •.    r  came,  confefjing  their  Jlns,  he  admitted  to  bap- 

tifin,  as  an  external  fign  of  the  rernitGon  of  fins.  Firir.  they 
muft  repent,  and  then  be  baptifed  for  the  rcmilTion  of  fins. 

(i)    To  affirm,   as  two  late  writers  (Mr.  Sandeman,  and 
.after  him  Mr.  CudwcrthJ  do,  that  every  true  penitent  may  be 
forgiven  abfolutely  without  any  atonement  at  ail,  is  implicitly 
to  affirm  that  the  Old  and  J\ew  Teftanients  cue  not  from  God; 
the  chief  defign  of  both  which  being  to  teach,  that  without 
meddkig  of  blood  there  can  be  no  remiffion.  A,.dto  bring  the 
xviiith  and '  xxxiiid 'of '  Ezekicl 'to  [rove  the  point ,  is  tofuppofe,  that 
Ezc'uelwas  not  in/piredby  the  fame fpifit  which  infptrea 'the  other 
facred  writers.    Mere  law  prcmijes  life  to  nothing  fhort  of  fin- 
lefs  perfection,  and  curfes  the  man  that  fails  in  the  leaf  point. 
D.ht.  xxvii.   26.      And  there  is  no  deliverance  for  true  peni- 
tents from  this  curfe,  according  to  the  Go/pel,  but  by  the  blood 
efChrif,  Gal.  iii.  10,  14.   And  therefore,  the-  captive  Jews , 
when  brought  to  repentance,  were  directed  to  look  and  pray  tow- 
ards the  holy  temple,  and  in  this  way  hope  for  pardon,  1  Kin. 
<viii.     And  tofuppofe  that  Ezckiel  in  Babylon,  taught  them  to 
1  pardon  in  a  way  contrary  to  the  difpenfaticn  they  were 
under,  is  tofuppofe  him  a falfe prophet. 


SEC.   VIII.]  BEFORE   FORGIVENESS.  II£ 

And  thus  John  preached  the  baptifm  of  repentance  for  '< 
remifjton  cf finis  placing  repentance  before  fbrgiyenefs^  juil 
as  Mofes  a:ii  the  Prophets  had  done  before  him.  Mat.  iii.  i, 
12.   Mar.  i.  5.  Luke  iii.  5,  14. — And, 

Jefus  Chrift  taught  the  lame  doctrine.  Jtepentye  and  bc^ 
lieve  tie  Go/pel,  Mar.  i.  15.  /  came  to  call  Sinners,  to  n 
auce,  Luk.  v.  32.  There  is  joy  in  Heaven  over  ens  Sin- 
ner that  repenieth,  Luk.  xv.  7.  J  came  co  heal  the  broken 
hearted,  Luk.  iv.  18,  21.  BieJJed  arc  they  that  mourn,  for 
they  jh  all  be  conferred,  Mat.  V.  4.  Bat  except  ye  repent,  ye 
Jhall  all  perijb,  Luk.  xiii.  3,  5.  And  this  doctrine  he  ex- 
emplified at  large  in  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  Son.,  who 
conies  tohimfclf,  repents,  and  returns  to  his  Father,  aad.io 
obtains  forgivenefs.  Luk.  ;;v.  17,  20.  Yea,  now  he  is  ex- 
alted in  Heaven  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour ;  he  commu- 
nicates  thefe  blcffings  i:i  the  f;r.ie  order  ;  he  gives  repentance 
unto  Ifrael,  and  remifjton  offins^  (Act.  v.  3  1 .)  and  he  obferved 
the  fame  order  in  his  commiifion  to  his  Apofties,  to  prc::ch 
in  his  name  repentance  and  remijjion  effins  to  all  nations,  be- 
ginning at  Jerufalem.  Luk.  xxiv.  48. — And  accordiri 

Thz  Apoftles  began  on  the  day  of  Penticoft,  being  all 
filled  with  the  Holy  GfcoA,  to  preach  [em,  in  the 

fame  order.  Acl.  ii.  38.    I  one  of 

yen,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord   / 

fins.  (1)  And  as  they  began  fo  they  went  on.  Act,  iii.  19. 
Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  fins  may  be  blotted  out. — 
And  when  Paul  was  converted  to  Chriitianity,  and  lent  to 
preach  the  Gofpel  to  the  Gentiles,  it  was,  to  open  their  eyes, 
and  turn  them  from  darknefs  to  light,  and  f rem  the  power  <f 

( 1 )  4s  to  A.:l.  ii.  38.  feme  ohjeSi,  c:  that  the  3000  had  a  fiv- 
ing  Faith,  and  were  jujiifed  by  that  con-vision ,  th.;t  fefus 
fj.is  the  MeJJiab,  -.    .       _        ed         -    ■  -    '',  wi(/j  a 

fenfe  of  their  guilt,  as  being  hi:  murderers,  before  they  di 
pent  "-^-B tit  if  Jo,  they  had  a  right  to  baptifm  before  they 
repented.  For  a  faving  Faith  gives  a  right  to  baptifm.  Act. 
*viii.  37.  But  it  is  plain  Peter  calls  upon  them  tc  repent  firj}t 
before  baptifm  ;  nor  did  he  baptife  any  but  ihcfe  who  appeared 
to  receive  his  word gladly,  T/:at  kind  of  Faith  therefore,  which 
w-.s  before,  and  without  repentance,  as  in  Peter  s  judgment,  it 
did  not  entitle  to  baptifm  ;  fo  neither  to  pardon  and  jalvaiion  : 
Fcr  it  was  an  acknowledged  point  in  the  Apofiolic  age,  thatA 
that  Faith  which  entitles  tojalvaticn,  entitles  to  baptifm. 


114  REPENTANCE   IS  [SEC.   VIII. 

Sofa*  unto  Gcd,  that  tbey  night  receive  forgivenefs  ofjins. — 
Act.  x.xvi.  18.  And  accordingly,  he  went  forth  and  preach- 
ed every  where,  that  they  Jhould  repent  and  turn  to  God  (ver. 
2c)  teftifying  both  to  jews  ai:d  Greeks,  repentance  tow- 
ard G  rd  our  LcrdJefusCbriftn  Chap.  xx. 
21.  And  as  to  thofe,  who  fhut  their  eyes,  ftopped  their 
.  and  hardened  t iicir  hearts,  and  were  given  up  to  de- 
e  days  oflfaiah,  of  Chritt  and  of  his  Apof- 
tics,  their  fentence  ruiis  thus,  in  which  is  clearly  taught, 
that  according  to  God's  eftablifhed  method  of  defpeiffirfg 
pinion,  Repentance  is  before  Forgivencls.  Left  tbey  fuould 
fee 'with  the\  to  their  ears,  ur.der ft  and  nuitb 
their  hearts,  a  cited,  and  1  fhould  heal  them. 
lfa.  vi.  10.  ii.  15.  Aft.  xxviii.  27.  For  what  is 
meant  by  their  being  healed  is  declared,  (in  Mar.  iv.  12) 
and  their  fins  j<                          z  in  them. 

So  that  this  deftririe  has  been  taught  by  Mofes  and  the 
Prophets,  by  Chrift  arid  his  Apciiles ;  and  if  one  fhould 
attempt  to  make  a  collection,  there  is  doubtlefs  as  great  a 
number  of  Scripture  texts,  which  rcprefent  repentance  as 
necehary  to  pardon,  as  there  is  that  repfefent  Faith  as  ne- 
cenary  thereto.  And  wc  may  with  as  good  a  face,  and 
with   as  much    confidence  with  Scripture  i,:-  firm 

that  we  are  fcr^iven  before  Fakh.  as  th.it  wc  are  Forgiven 
before  repentance.  And  it  is  plain,  that  the  repentance' 
fpoken  of  through  the  Scriptures,  as  beir.g  before  fcrgive- 
nefs.  is  not  an  ungracious,  unfaving  repentance  :  but  a 
gracious,  faving  repentance  ;  beca.fe  pardon  is  conitanti'y 
connected  with  it.  To  tneft  proofs  from  Senptur~  texts, 
may  be  added  thefe  Scriptural  arguments.  N  Ii.  AD,  ex- 
cept the  groffeft  fort  of  Antinornian?,  acknowledge  that 
Faith  is  before  Forgivenefs  ;  a"  the  Scriptures  fo  exprefily 
declare.  that,  he  that  belicveth  net,  is  condemned,  and  the 
ivrath  of  Gcd  abide  to  on  him.  J  oh.  iii.  18,  36.  If  there- 
fore, it  can  be  proved  that  repentance  is  efferYtial  to  Faith, 
it  will  follow  that  Repentar.ee  is  before  Forgivenefs. 

Argument  I".  To  believe  the  Gofpel  to  be  true  with  all 
the  heart,  is  before  For^venc^  ;  but  Repentance  is  ifn- 
plied  in  beueving  the  Go'fpd  to  be  true  with  all  the  heart : 
Therefore  Repentance  is  before  Forgivenefs.  That  Re- 
pentance is  implied  in  believing  the  Gofpel  to  be  true 
with  all  the  hearr,  is  evident: — For, 


$EC.   VIII.]  BEFORE   FORGIVENESS.  t  15 

The  import  of  the  crofs  of  Chrift  is,  "that  God  is  an 
abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Ee- 
ing,  infinitely  worthy  of  fupren:e  love,  and  honour,  and 
univerial  obedience  ;  thut  the  divine  law  is  holy,  jul:  .  id 
good,  a  glorious,  law,  worthy  to  be  magnified  and  made 
honourable  ;  that  our  difafTec~tion  to  the  divine  Character 
and  rebellion  ",againft  God,  is  infinitejy  crir.r.n.ti5' ;  as 
hath  been  already  proved.  Sect.  IV.  But  with  all  cur 
hearts  to  come  into  thefe  fentin\ents,  and  cordially  b.Iieve 
them  to  be  true,  is  to  begin  to  repent,  in  the  Scripture- 
fenfe  of  the  word.  As  hath  been  alio  already  proved,  in 
the  beginning  of  this  Section,  and  in  occt.  ill.  indeed,  jo 
believe  thefe  truths  by  the  dint  of  external  evidence,  againft 
the  grain  of  the  heart,  as  the  Devil  dees,  doth  not  imply 
Repentance,   nqr  wili'fuch  a  ]  .Wic  to  pardon.     But 

toj^elieve  th^m  with  all  ^he  '         ,  to  c   •  je  inio 

thefe  fjnuiiKut.-,  is  wjiat  §aittt  Paul  means  by  A1:/.  . 
toward  God.  A<  L  .:x.  21.  And  hence  weirtay  fee  tiie  true 
meaning  cf  our  Saviour's  word.,  R*J>e/ii  a. ;d  believe  tbs 
Gojj  I.  for  v.c  cannot  believe  the  Gofpel  to  be  -.rue  with 
all  .he  heart,  without  Repentance.  And  hence  t h ?. t  phrafe 
of  the  Apofile,   2  Tim.  11.   25.     In  :■:  imrrucftng 

thoie   that  opjpofe  tJjernfelyes ;  if-  pet  2  Gud  will 

give  t hem  Ripetitancelot^eackm  ,-,ub.  Ihre- 

j'y  is  altogether  of  a  criminal    nature,,  a  work  of  the  fiejb% 
a:id  reckone^u^  along   with  idoU  murder.  GJ.  v. 

19,  20,  21.     j  )  love  error,  but 

they  hate  tjie  truths  of  the  Gofpel.  Nortan  tney  be  brought 
to  believe  them  with  all  the  heart,  1:  lefs  God  gi<pe  them  re- 
pentance. And  the  spentance  is  implied  in  Faith, 
and  fo  is  before  forgiyenefs. 

Argument  jlj  To  1  A',  to  the  free  grace  of  God,  in  the 
narne  of  Chr-il,  for  pardon,  U  ejiential  to  that  Faith  in 
Chrill's  ^lopd,  which  i  L:  ngivenefs  ;    but  Repen- 

tance \s  implied  in  thus  looking  to  God  for  pardon  in  the 
name  of  Chad  :  Therefore,  Repentance  is  before  Forgive* 
r.efs. 

All  after  acts  of  Faith,  With  refpeel:  to  the  pardon  of  fins 
committed  after  cc  r.ve,  iion,  are  cf  the  fame,  nature  with 
the  fivft  aft  of  Faith 3  as  is  evident  from  Paul's  bringing 
the  ex?mple  of  D„vid  to  explain  and  prove  his  point, 
whole  fin  and  repentance  were  long  niitr  his  converfion. — 
Compare  Rom,  iv.  6.  7,  3,  with  Pfal.  xxxii.     But  Sainti 


I  1 5  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC   VUt. 

bed  to  look  to  God  for  the  pardon  of  daily  tranf- 

12.     Forgiven  r.      And  in  Jpk. 

Chrrft  ha;  pies  to  look  to  God 

t  for  all  things  ;  and  to  for  pardon  among  the  reft. 

'fal.  li.)  and  :o  every  penitent 

.1  to  pra)  Ion,  looking  towards 

the  .  I  Kin.  viii.)  which  was  a  type  ofCkrift. 

it  to  lock  to  God  for  pardon  in   the  name  of  Chrifl, 

ahce;     Cor'dL  lly  to  afk  for  the  pardon  whiih 

Gbfpel   offers,  is  cordially  to  acknowledge  we  nerd 

v.rdon  ;  w  hibh  : .  cor  lially  ro  own  that  wo  are  to  blame 

as  the;  Gofpel  fuppc  ch  is  to  begin  to  repen: — and 

to  aft  in  ti:e  name  of  Chrift,    is   to  acknowledge,   that  we 

are  not  fit  to  be  par  .  as  in  qurfelves,  are 

too  bad  j   yea,  afefb  bad,- that  jufticecallo  for  our  dellfoc- 

can  God  c  ith  his  honour  forgive  us 

but  .  the  blood  of  his  own  Son.     Which  fuppoft?s. 

s  fenfe  ofthe  great  evil  of  fin,  in  v\  iiicii 

ripentafite  radically  confiftsf. 

■  cannot  from  the  heart  look  to  Go  J  for  pardon  in  the 
•  Jf  Chrift,  only  as  we  in  our  hearts  feei  (hat  we  are  to 
blame*   and  deferve  to  be  puniflied  according  to  the  true 
import  of  law  and  Gofpeh     But  cordially  to  come  into  this 
view  of  ourielves,  fo  as  from  the  heart  to  fay  with  the  pub- 
lican.  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  Sinner,   is  true  repentance. 
Lu!:e  xviii.  14.     '  Fis  the  character  of  an  impenitent  Sinner 
to  hide  and  cover  his  fins ;  but  he  that  confeffeth  and  for- 
h  the  a  fn  til  have  mercy.     So  far  as  one  is  cordial  in 
his  cbnfeffion,   o  far  he  does  actually  give  up  his  fins,  and 
. ;  them-.     No  impenitent   Sinner  from  the 
heart  wiU  own  himfelf  to  blame  in  the  i'enie  in  which  he 
ib  charged  by  God  in  his  law,  nor  in  the  fenfe  the  Gofpel 
i  ic  calls  him  to  repent  and  offers  pardon.— 
And  while  one  will  not  cordially  own  himfelf  to  blame  as 
lu  is  charged.,   nor  own  he  needs  the  pardon  which  is  of- 
fered, he  cannot  from  the  heart  look  to  God  for  it,  much 
■   the  name  of  Chtift.  To  Uy  otherwise,  evidently 

ies  a  contradiction. Compare   1  Kin.  viii.  46,  50. 

x?:.  21. 

T  rua  f?om  exprefs  Scripture  texts,  and  from  thefe  ferip- 

ttfral  arguments,  the  point  Hands  proved,  that  Repentance 

is  before  Forgivenefs.     Some  objections  have  been  already 

cbviated  ;  the  reft  we  will  now  proceed  to  ftatc  and  anfwer. 


3EC.  VIII,]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  II? 

Objec.  i.  "  We  read  of  fome,  who  are  reprefented  as 
cxercifing  Repentance  in  a  fenfe  their  fins  are  already  For- 
given. Ezek.  xvi.  63.  Luke  vii.  36,  48. 

Anfw..  Very  true. — And  no  doubt  it  is  thus  with  all 
true  converts.  Their  Repentance,  inftead  of  ceafing,  is 
always  increafed  by  a  fenfe  of  divine  Forgivenefs.  Compare 
Lev.  xxvi.  40, 41.  with  Ezek.  xvi.  63.  But  where  do  we  read 
of  any  whole  fins  are  forgiven  while  they  continue  impeni- 
tent, enemies  to  God,  and  obftinate  in  their  rebellion  ? — No 
where.  Rather  this  is  the  united  voice  of  all  divine  Revelati- 
on, Except  ye  repent > ye  Jhall  all  likevjije  perijh.  And  therefore 
repent  and  be  converted ',  that  your  fins  may  be  blotted  out. 

Objec.  2.  '*  If  Ad.  iii.  19,  will  prove  Repentance  and 
Converfion  to  be  before  Forgivenefs,  it  will  equally  prove, 
that  none  are  forgiven  till  the  Day  of  Judgment,  which  is 
the  time  of  refrejbing,  there  referred  to." 

Anfw.  Whatfoever  entitles  a  man  to  pardon,  according 
to  the  Gofpel  in  this  prefcnt  time,  will  entitle  him  to  par- 
don when  Chrift  mall  come  to  judge  the  world  at  the  lad 
day.  For  he  will  judge  the  world  then  according  to  the 
Gofpel.  Therefore  thofe  who  repent  and  are  converted 
now,  exclufive  of  all  impenitent,  unconverted  Sinners,  mall 
be  publicly  owned  by  Chrift  at  that  time.  But  if  the  Goi- 
pel  pardons  impenitent  Sinners  now,  Chrilt  mult  accept 
them  then,  for  he  mult  judge  the  world  according  to  tiie 
Gofpel.  And  he,  who  hath  a  title  to  Heaven  according  to 
the  Gofpel,  muft  be  admitted  then.  And  therefore  if  im- 
penitent Sinners  have  a  title  to  Heaven  according  to  the 
Gofpel,  into  Heaven  they  will  go.  For  the  Judge  will  in 
honour  to  himfelf  be  obliged  to  admit  all  who  have  a  title 
according  to  his  own  Gofpel. — And  therefore  if  the  Anii- 
nomian  fenfe  of  this  text  is  true,  Peter  had  no  cccafion  to 
fay,  Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  Jins  may  be  blotted 
out,  ivhen  the  time  of  refrejhing  jhall  ccrne.  Rather  he  ought 
to  have  faid,  "  believe  that  your  fins  are  blotted  out,  im- 
penitent and  unconverted  as  you  are,  and  it  Hull  be  unto 
you  according  to  your  Faith,  when  the  time  of  refreilung 
fhall  come  :  for  God  Hands  bound  by  his  promvfe,  that  you 
fhall  not  be  difappcinted." 

Objec.  3.  "A  true  penitent  is  a  good  man,  and  may  therefore 
be  juftified  on  the  foot  of  his  own  goodnefs,  and  therefore 
»eed  not  belie-veon  him  thatjujiiftetu  the  ungodly.  Rom.  iv.  5." 
M 


IlS  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC    VIII. 

Ati/w.  No  impenitent  Sinner  will  cordially  own  himfelf 

dly  in  the  icnle  charged  upon  him  by  his  judge  :  no 

nitent    birner     therefore    is    willing,    or    ever    did, 

.  ;•  c  i  ;.;•;;  that  jujfifeth  the  ungodly,   in   the  fenfe  the 

us  to  i  as  was  proved,  p.  143,  144,  145. (•*) 

es,    if  arguments  will   not  do,  yet  facts  are  flubborn 

things.     And  it  is  a  p]ain  fitcl,   that  David  was  a  true  pe- 

n-, cut,  and  was  pirconed  after  he  repented.  Pfal.  xxxii.  3, 

4,  5  ;  and  yet  David  was  not  a  good  man  in  fuchafenfe  as 

that  he  could  be  juiHried  on  the  foot  of  his  own  goodnefs, 

according  to  5c  Paul.     Nay.,  j uil  the   reverie  ;  for  from 

this  very  inilance  of  David,   Paul  proves,  that  we  are  not 

juftjfied  by  our  own  goodnefs,  but  by  believing  on  him  that 

xeth  the   ungodly,  Rom  iv.  5,  6,  7,  8.     And   Abraham 

fej»d  bv-en  a  true  penitent  above  twenty  years,  as  all  parties 

>wledgCj    when  it   was  faid  of  him,  that    be   believed 

Gd,  and  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  tight  coufnefs  ;   which  is 

the  other  fidt  by  which  St.  Paul  illuitrates  and  proves  his 

.    (l)    N.  B.   Antinomian  converts,    when  they  believe   their 

fins  are  forgiven,  do  not  believe  that  thoje  fins  are  forgiven, 

wiichthey  in  fail  ft  and  charged  nvith  by  the  divine  law.  For 

do  not  think  themjelves  guilty  of  t.  cfe  fins.      11  ey  j'flifj 

elves  in  that,  in  vjhich  the  divine  law  chiefly  condemns 

They.fay,  that  it  is  "  utterly  impojjibie ,"  yea,  "  incon- 

fiftent  nvith  our  original  corftitniion,  and  v. it h  the  law  of  God" 

to  yield  obedience  to  tic  j.rjt  and  gT eat  comma.hd,   Thou  fhalt 

the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart.  And  if  1,  an 
unpardoned  Sinner,  do  not  dtferve  eternal  damnation  for  not 
loving  God  with  all  my  heart,  I  do  not  need  the  pardon  the 
Qofpil  offers.  Rather  the  offer  effuch  a  pardon,  is  an  injury 
to  me.  It  fuppojes  me  to  blame  when  1  am  not  to  blame.  For 
if  "  there  is  no  Ic-udinefs  conceivable''''  in  the  divine  Nature, 
till  Gcd  is  reconciled  to  me  y    and  if  it  is  impofjibie,  "■  utterly 

ble"  to  love  him  ;  and  even  "  contrary  10  the  ccnflitulion 
of  a  rcafoi  able  creature,  and  to  the  law  of  God,"  1  cannot  be 
at  all  to  blame  for  not  loving  him,  nor  do  I  in  this  cafe,  need 
asty  fardon  at  a!! — Nav,  the  catrfe  of  the  law  in  this  cafe  mujf 
needs  fill  me  with  hatred  and  heart-nfings  infpite  of  my  heart." 
Kcr  can  I  forgive  my  Maker,    and  feel  -well  to  him,   until  he 

rs  me  f rem  the  curfe. — So  that  o.n  Antinomian  convert, 


at  the  greateft  diftance  from  feeing  that  he  needs  the  pardon 
bich  the  Gofp'el  offers.     See  Sec.  IX. 


SEC.   VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  |rg 

doctrine  of  Justification.  The  objector  therefore  q^ite 
mifunderltands  St.  Paul,  whofe  real  meaning  has  been  al- 
ready ltated,  Sec.  V.  He  whole  heart  is  agreeable  to  the 
import  of  this  objection,  never  yet  faw  the  great  evil  gF 
fin.  For  in  the  objection  it  is  virtually  denied  to  be  an 
infinite  evil. — Socinians  and  Deifts  openly  deny  the  inn  11  e 
evil  of  fin  ;  and  on  this  ground  deny  the  neceility  of"  an  in- 
finite atonement.  Antincmi.ns  are  not  fo  confident  ;  for 
they  prufd's  to  believe  an  infinite  atonement,  a.nl  ye;  vir- 
tually deny  fin  to  be  an  iniinite  evil. 

Objec.  4.  "  To  fay,  that  Repentance  is  before  Forgive* 
nefs,  difconcerts  my  whole  fcheme  of  religion,  ?.\\\  r. 
the  very  foundation  of  all  my  hopes.  For  'tis  grant- 1  en 
all  hands,  that  true  Repentance  arifeJi  from  love  to  God. 
But  to  love  God  before  my  fins  are  pardor.ed,  is  impoffi- 
ble.  For  it  is  my  believing  that  my  fins  are  pardoned,  that 
induces  me  to  love  God.  When  I  can  believe  that  Chrift 
died  for  me  in  particular,  and  that  my  fins  are  forgiven, 
then  I  can  love  God  and  repent.  But  to  repent  before  Fur- 
givenefs,  is  new  doctrine  to  me." 

Anjhu.  True,  it  is  granted,  that  Repentance  arifes  from 
love  to  God.  And  therefore,  if  Repentance  is  before  For- 
givenefs,  love  to  God  is  before  f'orgivenffs  tco.  And 
that  this  effectually  overthrow 

is  alio  true  beyond  difpute.  And  as  it  is  plain,  that  Chrift 
ordered  Repentance  and  remiiiion  of  fins,  in  this  order,  to 
be  preached  in  his  name  to  a  finful,  guilty  world  ;  and  in 
this  order  the  Apoftles  preached  them  ;  fo  no  man  has  any 
warrant  from  t  or  to  believe  Forgive* 

nefs  of  fins,  in  any  other  order.  Nay,  he  'a  ho  believes  his 
fins  aie  forgiven  before  Repentance,  refilling  to  give  credit 
to  the  Word  of  God,  he  believes  a  lie  ;  ar.d  all  religious 
affections  begotten  by  this  belief,  are  founded  in  falfehood, 
and  are  an  abomination  in  the  fight  of  God.  And  thus  it 
will  appear  when  Chrift  comes  to  judge  the  world  accord- 
ing to  his  own  Gofpel". 

O'jcc.  5.  "  But  are  we  not  juftified  by  Faith  alone?" 

Anfw,  We  are  juftified  by  Chriit's  righteoufoefs  alone  : 
If  you  fpeak  of  that  which  qualifies  us  for  and  recommends 
us  to  the  divine  favour,  pardon  and  eternal  life  ;  neither 
Faith  nor  Repentance  have,  in  this  fenfe,  any  hand  in  our 
jollification.  To  fay  otherwife,  is  to  contradict  law  and 
M      2 


lit  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC.  VIII. 

Gofpel,  and  in  effect  to  give  up  the  whole  of  divine  Reve* 
lation.  As  has  been  already  proved,  Sec.  V. — "  True> 
but  are  we  not  intereited  in  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chriit,  by 
Faith  ?.!one  ?" 

2.  There  is  a  kind  of  Faith,  which  is,  in  its  own  nature, 
alone,  as  it  firft  exills,  unattended  with  any  one  Christian 
grace:  and  through  the  whole  period  of  its  exiftence,  it  is 
alone.  It  begins  to  exiit.  without  Repentance  and  conver- 
fion,  and  it  continues  to  exiit  without  a  holy  life.  This  is 
called,  James  ii.  26.  a  dead  Faith.  As  the  body  without 
the  Spirit  is  dead,  lo  Faith  without  nvorks  is  dead  alfo,  Ver- 
13;  it  is  dead  being  alone* 

Being  alone, — By  being  alone,  the  Apoftle  does  not  mean 
that  it  is  unattended  by  any  kind  of  affections.  Even  the 
Devil's  Faith,  the  Apoftle  obferves,  is  not  alone  in  this 
fenfe.  He  not  only  believes,  but  alfo  trembles.  And  many 
who  have  a  dead  Faith,  a  Faith  which  proves  unfruitful, 
and  fo  apparently  and  evidently  a  dead  Faith  ;  yet,  as  our 
Saviour  obferves,  receive  the  Word  with  joy,  and  endure 
for  a  while.  So  the  Ifraelites  believed  the  Lord  and  his  fer- 
<vant  Mofes  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  fang  his  praifet  but  Joan  for- 
gat  his  works..  Their  Faith  was  not  of  fuch  a  kind  as 
would  anfwer  the  end,  to  carry  them  through  the  trials 
before  them.  When  it  came  to  be  proved,  it  was  found 
to  be  a  dead  Faith.  It  was  in  its  «wn  nature  dead  from 
the  firft,  although  it  did  not  appear  to  be  dead  till  after- 
wards. Their  joys  were  gracelefs  joys.  They  had  no 
true  love  to  God  in  their  hearts.  That  is,  no  love  to  God's 
true  character.  All  their  religious  affections  were  merely 
from  felf-love,  excited  by  a  fenfe  of  their  great  deliverance, 
and  the  expectation  of  foon  arriving  to  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey.  So  their  Faith  was  unattended  by  any 
one  divine  virtue  ;  it  was  alone,  in  this  refpect  at  firft  : 
and  fo,  of  courfe,  it  proved  to  be  a  Faith  without  works, 
that  is,  without  any  holy  works.  For  their  Faith  was  not 
without  works  of  any  kind.  Nay,  they  were  zealous  and 
very  forward  in  building  the  Tabernacle,  every  one  con- 
tributing of  his  own  free  will,  enough,  and  more  than 
enough.  But  all  from  felfifti  principles,  expecting  ere  long 
to  march  for  the  promifed  land.  But  no  fooner  were  they 
difappointed,  than  at  once  all  their  feeming  goodnefs 
turned  into  blafphemy.  Whereas  Mofes,  after  he  was 
fecluded  from  the  promifed  land,  loved  God  as  well  as  ever. 


SEC.  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  121 

and  was  as  faithful  in  his  fervice.  For  he  really  loved  the 
God  he  believed  in,  he  loved  his  true  and  real  character, 
and  was  heartily  intereited  in  the  honour  of  his  great  name. 
And  this  love  gave  him  life  and  fpirit,  and  naturally  made 
him  prayerful  and  active.  And  thus  his  Faith  worked  by 
love.  Without  this  love,  his  Faith  had  been  as  dead  and 
inactive  as  the  Faith  of  the  carnal  Ifraelites.  But  his  fu- 
preme  love  to  God,  whom  he  conilantly  had  in  view,  as  it 
were  feeing  him  who  is  invifible,  made  his  Faith  a  living 
Faith.  For  he  loved  God  fo  entirely,  that  it  appeared  to 
him,  of  all  things  in  the  Univerfe,  the  beft,  to  be  wholly 
devoted  to  his  intcreft  and  honour,  as  long  as  he  lived. — 
Yea,  to  lcve  and  enjoy  him  to  perfection  forever,  was  the 
very  recompence  of  reward  he  had  in  view,  in  the  world 
to  come.  Whereas  the  carnal  Israelites,  the  more  they 
knew  of  God's  ieal  character,  the  more  they  hated  it  ;  till 
they  came  to  wifh  themleives  back  again  into  Egypt;  yea, 
to  wim  they  had  died  in  Egypt,  rather  than  had  any  thing 
to  do  with  the  God  of  Ifracl. 

Faith  without  works  is  dead — without  works.  Where 
there  is  no  love,  there  are  no  works,  in  the  Scripture-ienfe 
of  the  word.  This  is  ike  love  of  God  that  ye  keep  bis  com- 
mandments, and  his  c o mm  an U ments  are  not  grievous.  It  is  a 
pleafure  to  imitate  a  character  which  charms  our  hearts, 
to  honour  a  perfon  we  greatly  cfteem,  and  pleafe  one  we 
greatly  love.  The  duties  of  a  Chrirlian  life  are  only  prac- 
tical expreflions  of  love  to  God  ;  they  are  nothing  e!fe  than 
love  to  God,  and  reduced  to  practice.  Love  to  God  is  the 
life  and  foul  of  every  good  work.  Where  there  is  no  love 
to  God,  all  our  works  are  dead  works,  in  the  Scripture- 
fenfe  of  the  phrafe.  They  are  graceiefs,  felffh,  hypocri- 
tical works.  So  that  Faith  without  works,  without  a  courfe 
of  holy  obedience  to  all  the  divine  commands,  is  a  Faith 
which  is  without  love  to  God  in  the  heart.  And  fo  it  is  a 
Faith  which  is  without  a  fenfe  of  the  fupreme  infinite  ami- 
ablenefs  of  the  divine  Nature  ;  without  a  {enie  of  which, 
there  can  be  no  true  fenfe  of  the  infinite  evil  of  fin.  And  fo 
it  is  a  Faith  without  Repentance  in  the  firft  moment  of  its 
exigence,  and  a  Faith  without  works  in  the  whole  period 
of  its  exigence.  And  (o  in  its  own  nature,  a  deal  Faith. 
And  that  a  mm  cannot  be  jnftified  by  this  kind  of  Faith, 
is  evident,  not  only  from  the  Epiitle  cf  James,  but  from 
M    3 


122  REPENTANCE    IS  [sEC.   VIII. 

all  the  fo  recited  texts  of  Scripture,   which  teacli  that  Rc- 
pciv.ance  is  before  Forgiveuefs. 

3.  Repentance  is  implied  in  the  very  nature  of  that  true 
anJ  living  Faith,  by  which  p'onc  a  Sinner  is  united  to 
Chrift,  and  in  t  ere  tied  in  his  righteoufnefs  and  atonement, 
and  io  entitled  10  pardon,  juftificatior.  and  eternal  life. — 
This  has  beeo  already  proved  (p.  143,  14.1.  145)  and  fliall 
be  now  ft  ill  farther  confirmed. 

Jt  is  faid,  concerning  the  apoftolic  converts,  on  the  day 

of  Pentecofl  (Aft.  ii.)  that  they  gladly  received  the  <wvrd  s 

r.nd  it  is  :  that  in  doing  fo,  they  became  true  peni- 

.  true  believers  both  at  once,  in  the  estimation  of 

the  Apoftles.  Compare  ver.  38.  41,  44. 

There  are  fome  i  of  fuch  a  nature,  that  they  may 

be  believed   with  all  the  heart,  may  be  received  for  true 

-J  b:  afted  upon  as  fuch,  without  Repentance. — 

e  of  great  fcarcity  of  bread  on  an  ](U-nd>  the 

of  a  plentiful   importation  of  corn,  to  be  dillributcd 

among  the  inhabitants   without  money  and  without  price, 

to  whofoever  Comes,  may  be  received  gladly,  and  believed 

with  all  the  heart,   and  the  people   may  flock  together  to 

the  pl?ce  of  fupply,  without  any  thing  like  Repentance. — 

So  did   the  Gofpel   limply   bring  the  n:\vs  of  deliverance 

from  Hell,  and  of  eternal  joys  in  Heaven,  to  be  the  portion 

of  every  child  of  Ad  mi,  who  hears  and  believes  the  news, 

and  takes  it  to  himfeif ;    the  news  might  be  believed  and 

ced  in  by  every  guilty  Sinner,  who  is  terrified  with 

the  thoughts  Df  eternal  damnation,   nor  would  any  degree 

ith.     For  as  the  fan/ 
inhabitants  of  an  ifland    ,  Rurally  be  ravilhed  with 

the    news   of  corn  ;    fo  every  gi/ity   impenitent    h/ 

:ed    with    the   thoughts   of  Hell,   would  be  raviihed 
•  ch  deliverance.     But  if  the  news   the 
i  brings  does  not  confi.ler  us  merely  as  in  a  dare  of 
great  calamity,  but  as  criminals;  and  condemns  us  where- 
in we  are  moil  apt  tojuftify  ourfelv.es,  and  even  declares  us 
rtl  y  of  the  ei  Hell  for  that,  for  which 

all  to  blame  ;   we  fnall  receive 
lews   as  an  abufe,    and  reject  it  with   abhorrence,   till 
our  uncircumcifed    hearts  are   humbled,  and  we  difpofed 
to  I.  ves,  which  it  fuppofes  us  judly 

brings  us  news,  "  That 
ine  law,  which  requires  us  in  our  prefent  (late  to   | 


SEC.   VIII.]  BEFORE   FORGIVENESS.  123 

love  God  with  all  our  hearts  and  yield  a  p:rfecl  obedience 
to  hie  will,  on  pain  of  eternal  woe,  is  hoiy{,  j-ft  and  good, 
a  glorious  law,  worthy  to  be  kept  m  honour  ;  fo  the  Son 
cf  God  became  incarnate  and  died  upon  the  crofs  to  do  it 
honour,  that  God  might i be.  juft,  and  yel  I  oftm* 

Sinner  that  believes  in  Jcfjis.?'    T  he  pi  t  cf  which 

is,  "That,  no  iing  all  our  fell-  pleas, 

the  God  ujhfl  reigns  above,  is  an  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable   Beieg,    -od   hi  without  a 

lr  1  mifii  ;  i  ■  fFe<  ticu  nex- 

cuieablc,  and  infinitely  .criminal  ;  and  we,  even  100  bid  to 
be  forgive.  .  l  le  blood  ©f  the  Son  cf  God.'' 

But  to  believe  tub  vyith>all  the  heart, and  gladly  to  leceive 
this  news  for  true,  k  to  give  up  ail  our  fin-extenuating, 
felf-jufiifying  pleas,  to  acknowledge  ourfelves  infinitely 
vile  and  odious,  end  to  loath  and  abhor  ourfelves  in  the 
fight  of  GoJ,  and  even  to  i  10k  upon  it  a  w  d  be- 

coming, and  God?likedeed  in  the  moil  High,  topunifheter- 
in  Hell  (u  ;  as  we.  Bui  thus  to  view  God  and  his 
law,  and  the  atonement  of  Ghrift,  and  our  own  character  ; 
and  with  all  our  hearts  to  cjome  into  tdiefe  fentiments  as 
the  very  truth,  and  even  gladly  to  recejtat  this  wcrd,  is  to 
be  true  penitents. 

The  jews,  through  mere  difafTe&ion  to  the  divine  Cha- 
racter and  to  the  divinne  law,  hated  fefus  of  Nazareth, 
whofe  life  and  doclrines  were  the  very  image  of  his  Far 
thjer,  and  did  honour  to  ids  law  ;  and  in  their  hatred,  they 
cried,    crucify   bim,    crucify  him  !    and   the   they    led    him 

forth  to  Mount  Calvary,  and  nailed  him  to  the  croi'.o 

Their  whole  conduct  v. as  an  expreffian  of  mortal  enmity 
to  the  true  God  and  to  hie  Son,.  When  therefore  Jefqs  was 
Jead,  a:  0  the  :  '.r:t  poured  out  on  the  day 
of  Pentecoil,  and  the  guilty  Jews,  in  fpite  of  all  their  pre- 
judices, by  t'loul  .rds,  forced,  (re  againil  their,  wills,  to 
give  into  it,  that  he  was  in  very  deed  the  iviefliah,  w 
10  •;.-  had  murdered,   terri  horrid  crimes,   and 

the  fears  of  eternal  wrath,  pricked  at  die  heart,  as  th  1  h 
a  fvvord  hid  been  run  through  their  vitals,  they  cry  out  in 
anguifh,  II  we  do.?.     To  which  r'eter  give:  a  very 

ren-.aikible  anfvver.     He  :  fay,  "  do  nothing  :   be 

pr.ilive."  Nor  does  he  fay,  "3?lieva,  O  believ*e  your  fins 
are  Wotted  out."  But  he  f-v ■• .  Repent  and  be  baptized' eve- 
rj  ate  cfjcu  in  'the.  name  of  Jef*  Clrijl,  ftr  the  temUfion  cf 


124  REPENTANCE  IS  [SEC.   VIII. 

fins.  As  if  he  had  faid,  •«  Take  all  that  blame  to  your- 
lelves  which  belongs  to  you.  Own  the  whole  truth  to  God. 
Do  not  cover,  but  confefs  your  crimes  in  his  fight,  and  let 
your  uncircumcifed  hearts  be  humbled  :  And  in  a  fenfe 
eternal  deftrudion  is  your  due,  look  up  to  the  free  grace 
of  God  through  the  blcod  of  Chrift  for  pardcn  ;  and  in 
token  that  all  your  dependance  is  on  his  mediation,  merits 
and  atonement,  come  be  baptized  in  his  name;  and  your 
baptifm  mail  be  to  you  an  external  fign  of  the  remiflion  of 
fins  through  his  blood."  And  as  many  as  had  their  eyes 
opened  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  view  things  in  this  light, 
gladly  received  bis  word,  and  were  baptized.  And  thefe, 
by  the  Apoftles,  were  efteemed  true  penitents,  and  true 
believers  ;  as  they  thus  heaikened  to  the  divine  call,  re- 
pent  and  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jefus. 

And  it  is  manii'eft  from  the  nature  of  the  cafe,  that  he 
who  hath  his  eyes  opened  to  fee  the  glory  of  the  divine 
Nature,  the  beauty  of  the  divine  Law,  the  infinite  evil  of 
fin,  the  need  of  an  infinite  atonement ;  and  fo  to  fee  his 
need  of  Chrift  ;  and  at  the  fame  time,  views  God  as  the 
fupreme,  all-fufiicient  Good,  ready  to  receive  every  Sinner 
that  returns  to  him  through  Chrift.  It  is  manii'eft,  I  fay, 
that  every  one  who  is  thus  taught  of  God,  will  repent  and 
return  to  God  as  his  fovereign  Lord  and  fupreme  Good, 
and  return  through  Jefus  Chrift,  who  is  the  way  to  the 
Father,  and  the  only  way  in  the  view  of  one  thus  divinely 
enlightened.  For  in  the  clearer  light  the  glory  of  the  di- 
vine Nature  and  Law  is  feen,  in  exact  proportion  will 
be  the  fenfe  of  the  infinite  evil  of  fin,  and  the  need  of 
Chriit's  infinite  atonement  and  perfect  righteoufnefs.  And 
fo  Repentance  toward  God,  and  Faith  toward  our  Lord  Jefus 
Ci.fijl,  will  be  naturally  and  infeperably  connected. — Yea, 
they  will  be  neceflarily  implied  in  each  other.  For  he  who 
repents  in  the  view  of  the  glory  of  God,  the  glory  of  the 
law  and  of  the  atonement,  will  in  his  repentance  look  only 
to  free  grace  through  Jefus  Chrift  for  mercy.  And  he 
who  looks  only  to  free  grace  through  Jefus  Chrift  for 
mercy,  in  a  view  of  the  glory  of  God,  law,  atonement, 
will  in  doing  fo,  take  the  whole  blame  of  his  difaffeclion 
to  the  divine  Character,  as  exhibited  in  the  law,  and  on 
the  crefs  of  Chrift,  to  himfelf,  judge  and  condemn  himfelf, 
and  in  the  very  aft  of  Faith,  repent  and  be  converted. — 
When  therefore  it  is  faid,  believe  in  the  Lord  Jefus,   and 


SEC.  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  125 

thoufoalt  be  faved,  the  fame  thing  is  meant,  as  when  it  is 
faid,  repent  and  be  con-verted,  that  your  fins  may  be  blotted  out. 
For  the  Apoftolic  Faith  implies  Repentance  in  its  own  na- 
ture, and  their  Repentance  implies  Faith  in  its  nature. — 
Sometimes  they  only  mention  Faith.,  and  fometimes  only 
Repentance,  and  fometimes  both  together  ;  but  the  fame 
thing  is  always  intended.  For  in  their  views,  Repentance 
and  Faith  were  mutually  implied  in  each  other.  Let  all 
the  texts  of  Scripture  in  the  Old  and  New-Teftaments,  in 
which  we  are  called  to  confefs  our  fins,  repent  and  turn  to 
God,  with  a  promife  of  Forgivenefs,  or  to  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jcfus  Chrift  that  we  may  be  faved,  be  colle&ed  and 
compared  together,  and  they  will  all  jointly  unite  to  con- 
firm us  in  thefe  fentiments.  The  penitent  Jew  brought  a 
bull  or  a  goat  to  the  Altar,  and  all  his  hope  of  pardon  was 
in  the  fhedding  of  blood  ;  for  without  fhedding  of  blood, 
there  was  no  remiflion.  Or  if  he  were  at  a  diftance  from 
the  place  of  facrince  and  atonement,  yet  in  all  his  prayers 
he  looked  toward  God's  holy  Temple.  So  Jonah  did  in 
the  whale's  belly,  Jonah  ii.  4.  So  Daniel  did  in  Baoylon, 
Dan.  vi.  10.  And  it  is  evident  this  was  the  conftant  prac- 
tice of  all  the  pious  Jews,  from  the  whole  tenor  of  Solomon's 
prayer  in  1  Kin.  viii.  And  for  a  Jew  to  look  toward  the 
holy  Temple,  where  God  dwelt  in  the  mod  holy  place, 
over  the  mercy-feat,  which  covered  the  Ark,  in  which  the 
law  was  placed  in  the  meft  honourable  iituation,  while  fa- 
crifices  were  offered  without,  and  incenfe  within,  was  the 
fame  thing  as  for  a  penitent  Chriflian  to  look  to  the  free 
grace  of  God  through  the  redemption  which  is  in  Jefus 
Chrift,  who  in  his  life  and  death,  and  now  by  his  inter- 
ceflion  in  Heaven,  magnifies  the  law  and  makes  it  honour- 
able. For  a  Jew  to  confefs  his  fins,  repent  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord,  and  pray  toward  the  holy  Temple  ;  was  the  fame 
as  for  one  in  a  Chriftian  country  to  repent,  and  be  con- 
verted, and  believe  in  the  name  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

But  if  any  man  will  ftill  affirm,  that  we  are  juftified  by 
a  Faith  which  is  alone,  which  does  not  imply  repentance 
and  converfion  in  its  nature.  It  may  be  boldly  afferted, 
that  he  contradicts  Chrift,  who  fent  his  Apoftles  to  preach 
in  his  name,  Repentance  and  RemiJJion  ofjins  »*  and  his  A- 
poftles,  who  cryed,  repent  and  be  converted*  that  your  Jim 
may  be  blotted  out.     Efpecially,  as  Chrift  doth  as  exprefsly 


126  REPENTANCE  IS  [sEC.   VIII. 

declare,  that  except  je  re.  ?all  all  likenvife  perijb  j   as 

be  damned.  ( i ) 
Thus  the  poin:  is   proved,    that  Repentance   is    before 
Forgivcnefs.     And  thus  all  objections  are  ani'wered,  and 
io  the  way  opened  for  the  following  remarks  : 

J.  If  Repentance  is  before  Forgivenefs  ;  then  no  man 
ever  was,  or  ever  will  be  forgiven,  tili  firft  he  is  brought 
to  true  Repentance.  All  thofc  therefore  are  deluded,  wno, 
while  yet  impenitent,  believe  their  fins  to  be  forgiven. — . 
And  the  ftronger  their  belief  is,  the  greater  is  their  delu- 

{i  >n. And  again, 

II.  All  thofe  definitions  of  juftifying  Faith,  which  leave 
Repc'ti-nce  and  Converfion  out  cf  its  nature,  are  defini- 
of  a  Faith,  by  which  noman  ever  was,  or  ever  will  be 
juftified.  Such,  for  inftance,  as  make  Faith  a  thing,  in 
which  the  mind  is  merely  paflive,  fjch  a  bare  belief  of  the 
bare  truth,  as  implies  no  aft,  exertion  or  exercife  of  the 
heart;  which  effectually  excludes  Repentance  and  Conver- 
fion. And  uch  as  make  Faith  to  coniift  in  a  belief,  that 
there  is  Forgivenefs  with  God  for  impenitent  Sinners,  as 
iuch  ;    which  is  evidently  to  believe  a  lie.  (2)     And  fuch 


in 
vas; 


(1)  This  <very  fame  doclrine,  that  Repentance  is  implied 
juftifying  Faith,  now  affertedin  oppojition  to  Antinomians 

near  thirty  years  ago,  effortedand  defended  in  opprfiiionto  Ar- 
tninians,  by  t!  e  late  learned  Mr.  Edw..rds,  in  his  Sermon 
en  Juftif cation  by  Faith  a! one,  p.  103,  114  — A  Sermon  wor- 
thy to  be  uni-verfally  read  and  attended  to  through  the  Britijk 
dominions. 

(2)  Mr.  Savdema  '  r  of  the  atonement,  fays,  "  All 
its  true  friends  will  readily  join  iriajfrming,  that  Chrijl  came 
to  render  impenitent  Sntiers  accepted  unto  e<verlafting  life,  by 
the  works  which  he  himf  elf  wrought ,  and  thus,  by  the  difco'very 
of  preventing  goodnefs,  to  l:ac!  than  to  Repentance"  Letters  on 
Therm,  p.  382.  Edit.  id.  So  then,  according  to  him,  neither 
Mcfes,  nor  the  Prophets,  nor  Chrij},  nor  the  Apr/lies,  who  all 
taught  that  Repentance  is  before  Forgivenefs,  were  true  friends 
to  the  atonement.  Nay,  fo  far  from  it,  that  they  rendered  the 
atonement ,  according  to  Mr.  Sandeman,  entirety  needlefs.  For 
he  aff.rms,  that  true  penitents  may  he  forgiven  without  any 
atonement  at  all,  as  was  before  ob [craved,  Sec.  V.  Mr.  Sande- 
man  fims  up  his  whole  fcheme  in  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity. 
His  Faith  is  a  belief,    that  there  is  Fcrgi-jenefs   with   Goda 


3EC.  V1I1.]  EEFORE   FORGIVENESS.  I2J 

as  make  Faith  to  confift  merely  in  a  belief,   that  Chrill  is 

mine,  and  that  my  iins  are  forgiven  before  I  repent. 

Thefe,  and  all  fuch  like  definitions  of  juftifying  Faith,  are 
of  no  manner  of  ufe,  but  to  comfort  thole  impenitent  Sin- 
ners, againlc  whom  the  Goipel,  as  well  as  the  Law,  re- 
veals the  wrath  of  God. And  again, 

III.  All  thofe  fchemes  of  Religion,  the  import  of  which 
is,  that  we  are  not  wholly  and  entirely  to  blame,  in  not 
being  perfedly  conformed  to  the  divine  law  ;  and  confe- 
quently,  that  it  does  not  belong  to  us  to  take  the  whole 
blame  to  ourfeives  and  repent  ;  are  diametrically  oppofite 
to  the  Gofpel  of  Chriit :  which  calls  upon  us  to  repent  and 
be  converted,  as  being  wholly  to  blame  for  not  continu- 
ing in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  cio  them  ; 
yea,  infinitely  to  blame  ;  fo  that  it  became  the  vifdom  of 
God.  not  to  forgive  us,  without  an  infinite  atonement. — 
To  fay,  that  this  law  was  toofevere,  and  that  our  blame  is 
not  fo  great,  as  this  law  fuppofes  ;  is  to  declare,  that  it 
does  not  belong  to  us  to  repent  in  the  fcvtfc  the  Gofpel 
calis  us  to  ;  and  to  reject  the  atonement  of  Chriit,  which 
fuppofes  the  whole  blame  to  be  in  us,  as  an  injurious  re- 
flection on  our  character  :  and  even  implicitly  to  declare 
Jefus  Chrift  to  be  an  importer.  Fay  as  Chriit  lived  and 
died  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law  in  all  its  extent, 
thereby  declaring  it  to  be  wholly  right,  and  we  in  fuel  as 
much  to  blame,  a:,  that  fuppofes,  to  fay,  we  are  not,  which 
is  the  language  of  every  impenitent  heart,  is  to  fay,  that 
Chriit  was  an  impoflor.  So  that  Impenitence  and  Infidelity 
are  in  their  own  nature  mfeparably  connected,  on  the  one 
hand  ;  even  as  repentance  toward  God,  and  Faith  toward 
our  Lord  Jefus  Chriit,  are  on  the  other. 

IV.  Ah  thole  fchemes  of  Religion,  which  in  pretence 
grant  the  divine  law  to  be  holy  jure  and  good,  a  glorious 

through  the  atonement  fcr  impenitent  Sinners ,  ivkilefuck  :  which 
is  a  lie.  A  belief  of  this  liet  is  the  foundation  of  his  hope, 
that  his  fins  are  forgiven.  And  this  falfe  hope,  this  hope  built 
onfaij'thood,  is  the  foundation  of  his  love.  The  it  hole  of  bis 
religion,  "  confjls  in  love  to  that  ivlic  relieves  him,"  Letters 
to  Mr,  Pjhe,p.  o.  that  is,  "  in  Iq-ve  tc  the dodrine  of  Forgive- 
nej's,"  p.  ;;-.  that  is,  in  love,  to  this  dodrine,  that  there  is 
J  icith  Gid  through  the  atonement  for  impenitent 
Sinners,  ivhilejuch.      1  but  is,  in  love  to  a  lie. 


I2S  REPENTANCE    IS  [SEC.  VIII. 

law,  and  that  Repentance  is  before  Forgivenefs;  but  yet 
implicitly  deny  it,  by  afferting,  that  it  is  impofllble  a  Sin- 
ner mould  be  brought  to  view  the  law  as  fuch,  fo  as  cor- 
dially to  take  all  tae  blame  to  himfelf  and  repent,  until  he 
knows  that  his  fins  are  forgiven,  are  inconfiftent  with  them- 
felves,  as  well  as  with  the  Gofpel  of  Chriit ;  which  makes 
fuch  repentance  necelfary  in  order  to  the  Forgivenefs  of 
fins,  and  calls  upon  Sinners  thus  to  repent,  that  their 
fins  may  be  blotted  out,  and  declares  that  Chrift  is  exalted 
to  give  fuch  Repentance  to  Itrael. — To  repent  that  we  have 
broken  a  law  we  hate,  is  the  Repentance  of  an  obftinate 
rebel ;  and  is  in  its  own  nature,  a  lie.  Like  that  in  Pfal. 
lxvi.  3.  Through  the  great nefs  of  thy  power  jh all  thine  enemies 
fubmit  themfel-ves  (or  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  lie)  unto  thee. 

V.  As  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Gofpel  of  Chriit.  gives  the 
itrongefl  affurance,  that  no  impenitent  Sinner,  remaining 
iuch,  mail  ever  be  forgiven  ;  fo  the  whole  tenor  of  all  falie 
Gofpels,  is  to  perfuade  impenitent  Sinners,  while  fuch,  to 
believe  that  their  fins  are  forgiven.  Some  fchemes  do  this 
by  preaching  up  a  counterfeit  Repentance,  and  promifing 
Forgivenefi.  to  that ;  mean  while  juftifying  Sinners  in  their 
continuing  deftitute  of  that  Repentance  to  which  the  Gof- 
pel calls  them  :  as  the  Socinian,  Arminian,  Neoncmian,  &c.(i) 
and  other  fchemes  exprefily  teach,  that  we  are  forgiven  be- 
fore Repentance.  Which  is  the  cafe  with  various  forts  of 
Antiwmian  fchemes.  But  all  falfe  fchemes,  how  much  fo- 
ever  they  differ  among  themfelves,  agree  in  promifing  eter- 
nal life  to  thofe  who  are  deftitute  of  true  Repentance. 

(1)  Of  the  counterfeit  forts  of  Repentance  which  are  preached 
Mp,  thefe  two  are  the  chief — \Jt,  Some  fay,  that  the  divine  law, 
which  originally  required  us  to  love  God  with  all  our  hearts, 
and  yield  a  perfect  obedience  to  his  will,  is  abated  :  And  there- 
fore we  are  not  to  blame  in  not  being  perfeclly  conformed  to  it  : 
And  therefore  it  does  not  belong  to  us  to  repent  of  this  non-con- 
formity. And  fo  the  Sinner  is  juftifed  in  being  without  that 
qjery  Repentance,  to  which  the  Gofpel  calls  him.  And  now  to 
repent  "wherein  they  fall  Jhort  of  a  conformity  to  their  abated 
law,  is  fubjlituted  in  the  room  of  true  Repentance.  And  they 
being  ignorant  of  the  law  of  perfeclion,  and  the  infinite  e<vil  of 
fin,  are  prepared  to  make  a  righteoufnefs  of  their  falfe  Repent- 
ance ;  and  know  no  need  ofChrijl  only  to  purchafe  this  abate- 
muitoftke  law,  and  to  make  up  for  their  defetfs  of  obedienct  t§ 


SEC  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  I29 

VI.  If  according  to  God's  eftablifhed  method  of  difpen- 
fing  pardon  to  his  criminal  guilty  creatures,  Repentance 
is  before  Forgivenefs,  we  may  hence  fee  the  harmony  be- 
tween the  impetraticn  and  application  of  redemption  :  both 
exactly  agree  in  their  nature  and  tendency  to  honour  Gcd, 
to  magnify  his  law,  to  eitabiifh  his  authority,  to  difecun- 
tenance  and  embitter  fin,  to  humble  the  Sinner,  to  glorify 
grace,  and  to  exalt  Chrift. 

The  crofs  of  Chrift,  in  the  fight  of  the  whole  intellectual 
fyftem,  declared,  that  God  was  wholly  right,  and  that  we 
were  wholly  wrong,  and  as  much  to  blame  as  the  divine 
law  fuppofed.  And  fu  declared,  that  Gcd  is  an  abiblutdy 
perfect,  an  infinitely   glorious  and  amiable  Being  j    and 

it,  thus  abated. —  2d,  Others,  who  fay,  the  divjine  lew  is  in 
full  force,   unaltered,  unabated  ;  yet  exempt  themfelves  from 
blame  by  faying,  "  we  have  no  more  power  to  love  Gcd  per- 
fectly, than  the  man  with  the  withered  hand,  had  to  fir  etch 
out  his  handy     And  when  they  come  to  explr.i;:  the;:  fives, 
they  make  the  inability  of  a  Sinner  to  be  as  innocent  a  kind  cf  a 
thing,   as  was  the  man  with  the  withered  hand.      But  who 
fees  not,  that  the  man  with  a  withered  hand  was  not  at  all  to. 
blame  ;  for  he  could  not  help  his  hand  being  withered,  let  his 
heart  be  ever  fo  well  inclined  to  it.      It  would  f&rfeSi  ly  have 
fuited  his  heart  to  have  had  that  hand  well.      It  was  owing 
to  no  fault  in  him  that  it  remained  withered.     lie  might  be 
firry  for  it  as  a  calamity,  but  could  net  blame  himfi'f 'for  it  as 
a  crime.     And  even  after  Chrift  had  rejhred  it  whole  as  the 
ether,  although  he  might  be  thankful  for  it  as  a  benefit  done  to 
him,  yet  he  could  not  blame  himfelf,    neither  could  he  repent, 
that  his  withered  hand  had  net  been  well  focner.      And  thus, 
while  this  is  fuppejed  to  be  an  exact  reprefentation  of  the  true 
nature  of  our  inability,  perfectly  to  conform  to  the  divine  law 
in  heart  and  life,    true  Repentance  is  forever  fe eluded.      No 
blame  belongs  to  us  in  this  cafe,  nor  can  we  on  this fcheme  tcme 
any  blame  to  ourfelves,  before,  at,  or  after  cur  fuppofed  a 
fion  ;  for  not  being  perfect  as  our  Father  which  is  in  Heaven, 
is  perfect.      And  thus  the  Sinner  is  jujlifed  in  his  impenitency. 
And  in  ex  ad  proportion  as  the  Sinner  is  jujlifed,   God  and  his 
law  Jl and  condemned.     For  there  is  blame  fome  where,  and  if 
not  in  us,  it  mufl  be  in  him  who  blames  us,   even  in  him  who 
fays,  Curfed  is  every  one  that  continueih  not  in  all  things. 

N 


13°  REPENTANCE  IS  fsEC.  VIII. 

that  his  law,  which  requires  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
hearts  on  pain  of  eternal  death,  is  holy,  juft  and  good; 
and  that  cur  difafTeclion  to  the  divine  Character,  and  re- 
bellion againft  him,  is  inexcufable,  and  even  infinitely 
criminal.  In  confequence  of  which,  the  gifc  of  Chrift  to 
die  in  our  room,  that  God  might  be  juft,  and  yet  the  jufti- 
fier  of  the  believer,  appears  to  be  an  act  of  grace,  infinitely 
great,  and  abfolutely  free.  And  becauie  Chrift  humbled 
himfelf,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
of  th?  crofs,  in  this  great  work  ;  therefore  is  he  exalted  to 
lit  even  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  honoured  with  all  the 
honours  of  Keaven  ;  and  Repentance  and  remiflion  of  fins 
are  granted  in  his  name  to  apellate,  Gcd-hating,  guilty 
rebels.  And  thus  God  is  honoured,  Chrift  exalted,  grace 
glorified,  and  fin  condemned  in  the  work  of  our  redemption. 

In  exact  harmony  with  which,  the  guilty  criminal  is,  by 
the  almighty  power  of  divine  grace,  brought  to  view 
things  in  this  light,  and  to  be  affected  accordingly.  To 
look  upon  God  as  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely 
glorious  and  amiable  Being,  upon  the  divine  law  as  holy, 
juft  and  good,  a  glorious  law  ;  upon  his  own  difafTeclion 
and  rebellion,  as  entirely  inexcufable  and  infinitely  crimi- 
nal ;  upon  the  gift  of  Chrift,  as  an  acl  of  grace  infinitely 
great  and  abfolutely  free;  and  in  thefe  views,  and  with  an 
anfwerable  frame  of  heart,  to  look  only  to  free  grace  through 
jefus  Chrift,  now  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  for  pardon, 
as  of  mere  free  mercy,  to  a  v/retch  fo  infinitely  odious  and 
ill-deferving,  as  that  it  had  been  an  acl  worthy  of  God  to 
have  call  him  into  eternal  burnings. — And  thus  all  is 
exactly  fuited  to  exalt  God,  to  honour  the  law,  to  imbitter 
fin,  to  glorify  grace,  and  render  Chrift  exceeding  precious 
in  the  Sinner's  heart And  fo, 

The  fame  views,  fpirit  and  temper  which  were  in  Chrift 
Jefus  to  perfection,  when  he  wrought  out  our  redemption 
on  the  crofs,  are  in  meafure  communicated  to  a  dead  Sin- 
ner, when  he  is  quickened  and  raifed  up  to  a  new  and  di- 
vine life  ;  and  fo  lie  is  made  partaker  of  the  divine  Nature,  and 
becomes  a  living  branch  in  the  true  Vine,  a  living  member  of 
drift's  bedv.  For  of his  fulnefs  nve  all  receive,  and  grace  for 
grace.  For  he  and  all  the  members  of  his  body  are  one, 
not  only  one  relatively,  but  one  in  heart,  one  in  fpirit,  the 
fame  fpirit  which  dwells  in  Chrift  being  communicated  to 
them.     For  ye  are  not  in  theflefo,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  fa  be  the 


SEC.  VIII.]  BEFORE  FORGIVENESS.  IJX 

fpirit  ofChriji  dwells  in  you. — In  regeneration  and  conver- 
sion thefe  views  and  affe&ions  begin  to  take  place  and  from 
year  to  year,  as  with  open  face  they  behold  as  in  a  glafs  the 
glory  of  th>e  Lord  ;  fo  they  are  more  and  more  changed  into 
the  fame  image  from  glory  to  glory,  till  all  come  to  be  one 
nuith  him  as  be  and  his  Father  are  one. 

But  on  the  contrary,  if,  as  Ibme plead,  pardon  is  granted 
to  the  impenitent  Sinner  while  fuch,  a  belief  of  which  is 
the  foundation  of  his  love  and  of  all  his  religion;  then  in 
the  application  of  redemption,  God  and  his  law  are  dil- 
honoured,  the  import  of  Chritl's  death  is  denied,  fin  is 
juitiried,  the  Sinner's  felf-juilifying  fpirit  is  gratified,  and 
the  grace  of  the  Gofpel  kept  out  of  view.  For  this  is  the 
native  language  of  fuch  a  Sinner's  heart,  "  there  is  no 
lovelinefs  conceivable  in  the  divine  Nature,  but  what  re- 
fults  from  his  love  to  mc,  and  it  is  impofiible  I  fhould  love 
God  from  any  other  motive,  nor  is  it  my  duty,  nor  is  the 
Gofpel  defigned  to  bring  me  to  it,  nor  am  I  to  blame  that 
I  do  not,  nor  do  I  need  the  atonement  of  Chrifl  in  the  cafe, 
or  pardon  for  not  loving  God  for  the  lovelinefs  of  his  own 
nature  :  For  there  is  no  lovelinefs  in  his  nature,  but  as  he 
loves  me  and  uefigns  to  fave  me."  Thus  the  abfolutely  per- 
fect, the  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  who  is  by 
nature  God,  in  himielf,  let  me  be  faved  or  damned,  infi- 
nitely worthy  of  fupreme  love,  and  honour  and  univerfal 
obedience,  according  to  the  united  import  of  the  divine 
Law,  and  of  the  crofs  of  Chrifc,  is  at  once  itripped  of  all 
the  original,  independent,  eternal,  immutable  glories  of 
his  Godhead,  the  divine  Law  is  virtually  pronounced  ty- 
rannical, the  import  of  Chrift's  death  impioufly  denied, 
his  atonement  pronounced  needlefs,  and  himfelf  virtually 
declared  to  be  an  impoftor,  our  being  dead  in  fin  juftified 
our  difaffeclion  to  the  divine  Character  declared  to  be  no 
crime,  or  reconciliation  to  be  no  duty,  no  pardon,  no  atone- 
ment, no  fanclifier  needed  in  the  cafe.  "  No  for  we  are 
right,  God  and  his  law  are  wrong,  if  God  will  repent 
and  make  reftitution,  if  God  will  deliver  us  from  the  curfe 
of  the  law,  and  give  us  Heaven,  we  will  forgive  him,  feel 
no  more  heart-riiings  toward  him,  but  love  him  if  he  will 
thus  love  us.  Otherwife,  it  is  impcflible  we  mould  love 
him,  impoilible  but  that  we  mould  hate  him  and  his  law. 
For  there  is  no  lovelinefs  conceivable  in  his  nature,  unlefs 
N  2 


132  NATURE  OP  [SEC.  IX. 

he  will  love  and  fave  me." — Thus  the  impenitent,  proud* 
hftoghty   wretch   ungods   the    Deity,  condemns    his    law, 

hlafphemes  the  crofs  of  Chriit,  juiiiries  himfelf,  denies  his 

fin,  his  need  of  atonement,  of  regeneration,  of  repentance, 

..don,  and  is  filled  with  love  and  joy  in  a  firm  belief 

God  Almighty   looks  upon  things  as  he  does.     And 

impious,  blasphemous  love  and  joy,  he  calls  by   the 

(acred  name  of  Chniiian  piety. 


SECTION    IX 


The  Nature  and  Effefls,  the  Caufe  and  Cure  of  a  Self- 
righteous  Spirit. 

HP  HE  Nature  and  Effe&s,  the  Caufe  and  Cure  of  a  Self- 
-*-  righteous  Spirit,  might  have  been  collected  from  the 
principles  laid  down  and  proved  in  the  other  feclions  of 
this  Eflfay,  by  the  judicious  Reader;  but  for  the  fake  of 
weaker  capacities,  it  may  not  be  amifs,  if  thefc  things  are 
briefly  Hated:   And  the  rather,  as  it  is  of  great  importance 

this  fubject  be  well  underftood. In  general  then, 

A  Self-righteous  Spirit  confifts  in  a  difpofition  to  think 
more  highly  of  ourfelves  than  we  ought  to  think.  And  fo, 
it  is  pride.  And  it  Hands  in  oppofition  to  humility,  which 
is  to  think  foberly  of  ourfelves,  and  as  <we  ought  to  think,  as 
St.  Paul  defines  it.  Rom.  xii.  3.  And  a  Self-righteous  Spirit 
arifes  from  blindnefs  to  the  divine  glory,  and  ignorance  of 
our  true  character  and  ftate,  as  they  appear  in  the  fight  of 
God,  and  as  they  really  are  compared  with  his  holy  law. 
The  fpiritual  knowledge  of  God  and  his  law,  and  a  view 
of  ourfelves  in  contrail  with  God  and  his  law  thus  known, 
is  the  Cure  of  a  Self-righteous  Spirit.  When  the  divine 
Character  as  exhibited  in  his  law  begins  to  appear  in  its 
infinite  glory,  our  character  will  begin  to  appear  in  its  in- 
finite odioufnefs.  And  this  begets  a  difpofition  to  think 
foberly  of  ourfelves,  and  as  we  ought  to  think.  And  fo 
-we,  through  the  law,  become  dead  to  the  law,  that  we  may 
live  to  God But  to  be  more  particular, 


SEC.   IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.  133 

I.  A  Self-righteous  Spirit  confifis  in  a  difpofition  to  think 
more  highly  of  ourfelves  than  we  ought  to  think.  How 
we  ought  to  think  of  ourfelves  hath  been  already  dated, 
Seel.  III.  p.  32,  33.  When  a  man  thinks  more  highly  of 
himfelf  than  he  ought  to  think  on  the  account  of  his  £ne 
cloaths,  he  is  called  by  the  odious  name  of  fop.  But  when 
in  the  exercife  of  the  fame  temper,  he  thinks  more  highly 
of  himfelf  than  he  ought  to  think,  upon  religious  accounts, 
he  is  called  by  the  more  odious  name  of  a  Self-righteous 
man,  Luk.  xviii.9,  14.  The  fame  fpirit  of  pride,  which  leads 
one  to  be  proud  in  a  view  of  his  line  cloaths,  inclines  a- 
nother  to  be  proud  in  a  view  of  his  large  eftate,  or  honour- 
able parentage,  or  good  bodily  features,  or  Superior  genius 
or  great  acquired  mental  accomplifliments.  And  it  is  the 
fame  fpirit  which  leads  all  mankind  in  general  to  think  more 
highly  of  themielves  than  they  ought  to  think  in  religious 
refpccts.  For  a  Self-righteous  Spirit  is  common  to  mat- 
kind  in  general,  although  in  different  men  it  operates  dif- 
ferently ;  and  in  feme  more  than  in  others,  it  reigns  in 
all  unregenerate  men  :  And  it  is  mortified  in  Saints  no  far- 
ther than  they  are  fanclified,  and  will  not  be  entirely  e- 
radicated  out  of  their  hearis  until  they  become  perfectly 
holy.     It  operates  differently  in  different  men. 

In  the  profane  it  operates  to  keep  them  fecure,  to  fortify 
them  againlt  the  fears  of  Death  and  Hell,  and  guard  them 
againft  the  terrors  of  the  divine  law  ;  that  they  may  take 
their  full  fwing  in  finful  pleafures  unmoleiled.  For  ;hus  it 
inclines  them  to  think,  "  I  can  break  off  my  fins  when  I 
pleafe.  And  when  ever  I  break  off,  God  will  be  obliged 
to  forgive  me."  Herein  he  thinks  more  highly  of  himfelf 
than  he  ought  to  think,  in  two  refpecls.  Fzrjl,  lie  thinks 
his  heart  to  be  much  better  than  it  is,  even  that  he  can  find 
in  his  heart  to  give  up  all  fin  and  turn  to  God.  But  if  he 
would  make  a  thorough  trial,  he  would  find  it  to  be  a  mif- 
take.  He  would  find  that  fin  has  full  power  of  his  foul. 
That  he  loves  it  fo  entirely,  that  it  is  not  in  his  heart  to 
be  inclined  to  forfake  it.  To  forfike  fin,  in  general,  I 
mean  ;  for  he  may  be  inclined  to  change  one  lull  for  ano- 
ther, turn  out  a  black  Devil  and  take  in  a  White  one,  leave 
profanenefs,  and  become  a  civil,  fober,  felf-righteous  hy- 
pocrite. But  to  turn  from  all  fin  in  general,  and  to  turn 
unto  the  Lord,  is  not  in  his  heart.  For  the  carnal  mind  is 
N    3 


134  THE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX* 

enmity  againji  God,  is  not  Jul j  eft  to  his  la<w,  neither  indeed  can 
be.  And,  fecondiy,  he  thinks  too  highly  of  himfelf  in  ano- 
ther rciped,  viz.  That  there  will  be  fo  much  virtue 
in  liis  repentance  and  reformation,  as  to  atone  for  all  his 
pad  wickednefs,  and  entitle  him  to  the  favour  of  God. — 
Whereas,  according  to  the  divine  ertimation,  there  is  fo 
much  blame  and  iil-defert  in  one  wilful  tranfgrefiion,  as  to 
make  an  eternal  forfeiture  of  his  foul,  and  plunge  him  into 
a  hopelefs,  remedilefs  (rate,  according  to  a  iule  of  Uriel 
junice.  So  that  if  he  had  no  more  intcreil  in  Adam's  fm 
than  in  Noah's  ;  yet  after  one  tranfgrefiion,  he  is  a  loll 
creature,  liable  to  die  and  go  to  Hell  in  a  moment  ;  and 
God  absolutely  unobliged,  if  he  lives,  to  grant  him  any 
r.fiiitance  of  his  Spirit, or  ever  to  regard  any  of  his  prayers. 
For  if  one  tranfgrefiion  expofea  a  man  to  the  curie  of  the 
law,  according  to  Gal.  iii.  jo.  then  the  tranfgieiTor  may 
be  juftly  fent  to  Hell  immediately.  And  therefore,  God  is 
unobliged  to  (hew  him  any  favour  of  any  kind.  And  it  is 
entirely  owing  to  pride  and  feif-conceit,  that  Sinners  are 
inclined  to  view  things  in  another  light.    They  think  more 

y  of  themfelves  than  they  ought  to  think.  And  this, 
which  is  natural  to  prophage  Sinners,  has  a  great  influence 
to  keep  them  i ecu  re  in  fin. 

wakened  Sinners  it  operates  to  incline  them,  by  their 
reformations,  prayers,  tears,  &c.  to  go  about  to  eitablifh 
their  own  righteoufneft.  For  being  fo  terrified  with  the 
thoughts  of  eternal  deftrudlion,  that  they  can  no  longer  go 
on  quietly  in  their  finful  pleafures,  they  now  go  about  to 

,  the  Deity  by  their  amendment  and  fervent  prayers. 
And  thus  they  think — "  If  I  repent  and  reform,  if  I  hum- 
ble myfelf  before  God  and  pray,  and  do  as  well  as  I  can, 
lie  is  obliged  to  (hew  me  mercy  :  For  it  would  be  hard  and 
unjuft  in  God  to  require  more  of  his  poor  creatures  than 
they  can  do,  and  then  damn  them  for  not  doing."  And 
perhaps  thoufands  and  ten  thoufands  build  their  hopes  for 
Heaven  on  this  foundation,  and  live  and  die  upon  it.  Not 
conlidei  ing,  that  ifrighteoufnefs  come  by  the  lanxj,  then  Chriji 
is  dead  in  <vain.  Not  once  reflecting,  that  if  their  belt 
doir.gi  ought  in  reafon  to  recommend  them  to  the  divine 
favour,  there  was  no  occafion  for  the  incarnation  and  death 
-of  the  Son  of  God.  And  that  therefore,  if  they  are  right, 
the  whole  Gofpcl  is  overthrown.  Their  pride  absolutely 
blinds  their  eyes,  that  they  cannot  fee ;  and  ftops  their  ears, 


SEC.  IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.  135 

that  they  cannot  hear  ;  and  hardens  their  hearts,  that  they 
cannot  underitand.     Or,  if  forr.e  men,  cf  more  penetration, 
perceive  that  this  way  of  thinking  does  in  fa£:  overthrow 
ChrilHanity,  they  will  fooner  give  up  the  whole  cf  divine 
Revelation,  than  give  up  their  pride.  And  from  this  fource 
it  is,  that  Great  Britain  is  fo  Ailed  with  Infidels.   And  from 
this  iburce  it  is,  that  Infidelity  begins  to  cieep  into  ?• 
England,  which  if  divine  grace  prevents  not,  may  in  half 
a  century  make  great  progrefs.   For  as  the  Pharifees  would 
fooner  believe,  that  jefus  caji  oat  Devils  by  Beelzebub,  than 
that  they  were  ferpents  and  a  generation  of<vipers3  worthy  cf 
tie  damnation  of  Hell ;  even  fo  it  is  here. — But  mean  while, 
In  Antinomian  converts,  to  extricate  themfelves  out  of 
thefe  embarrailmcnts,   a  lelf-rightcous  fpirit  prompts  and 
emboldens  them,  to  take  a  (hort  and  eafy  method,  to  think 
well  of  God  and  of  themfelves  both  at  once,  and  fo  their 
pride  and  religion   become  perfectly  harmonious;  in  the 
belief  of  thefe  two  maxims  (lit).  God  loves  me  impenitent  as 
I  am.      (2d)    To  believe  that  God  thus  loves  me,  and  to  love 
him  merely  in  this  belief,  is  the  fum  of  religion.      For  in  the 
belief  of  thefe  two  articles,  the  divine  law,  which  Hands 
prepared  to  flay  the  felf- righteous  Sinner,  is  fei  afide,  and 
turned  out  of  doors ;  the  curfe,  by  the  firit:  the  command, 
by  the  fecond  ;  and  fo  the  divine  law  being  caihiered  by  this 
belief;  the  Self-righteous  finner  (lands  compleatiy  feif-juf- 
tilied.     He  believes,  or  rather  imagines  himfelf  into  the 
love  of  God,  and  out  cf  the  reach  of  the  law  ;  and  fo  into 
a  good  opinion  of  the  Deity,  and  cf  himfelf,  both  at  once. 
Or  rather,  through  that  enmity  to  God's  real  character, 
with  which  his  Sclf-righteousSpirit  infpired  him ;  embolden- 
ed by  the  fame  Self-righteous  Spirit,  he  forms  a  Deity  in  his 
own  fancy  all  made  up  of  love  to  him,  which  fuits  his  heart; 
and  being  futfed  with  the  Deity  he  has  made,  is  pleafed 
with  himfelrmore  than  ever.     And  fo  he  thinks  himfelf  a 
Believer,  a  Saint,  a  Difciple  of  Chrift,  and  that  he  lhall 
be  rewarded  in  Heaven  for  all  the  reproach  he  brings  upon 
himfelf;  not  knowing  th  it  enmity  to  God  and  his  law  and 
to  the  crefs  of  Chrift,  lie  at  the  bottom,  and  are  fource 
of  all  his  religion.     And  thus,  and  in  this  way,  he  is  con- 
firmed and  felf-juftified  in  thinking  more  highly  of  himfelf 
than  he  ought  to  think. — And  thus  we   fee  how  a  Self- 
righteous  Spirit  operates   differently  in  different  perfons. 
Thefe  three  forts  are  mentioned  only  as  a  fpecimen ;  for 


I36  THE  NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX. 

inftead  of  three,  there  may  perhaps  be  three  hundred  dif- 
ferent ways  in  which  this  fame  fpirit  works. 

II.  A  Self-righteous,  isa  Sin-extenuating,  Self-juftifying, 
and  in  conlequer.ee  a  Law-hating,  God-condemning  difpo- 
fition.  And  fo  ilands  in  direft  oppofition  to  Repentance  tow- 
ards God,  and  Faith  towards  our  Lord  J  ejus  Chrijl.  Juft  in 
exatt  proportion  as  a  man  is  inclined  to  think  more  highly 
of  himfelf  than  he  ought  to  think,  is  he  inclined  to  make 
Sin-extenuating,  Self-j unifying  pleas.  And  every  word 
he  fays  in  his  own  juftifjcation,  is  to  the  condemnation  of 
God  and  of  his  law.  For  if  in  fatt  we  are  not  fo  bad, 
nor  fo  much  to  blame,  as  the  divine  law  fuppofes,  he 
who  made  the  law  will  ftand  condemned.  Take  Gal.  iii. 
10.  Curfed  is  e-very  one  that  contihuctb  not  in  all  things  writ- 
ten in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them,  which  are  the  very 
words  with  which  St.  Paul  militated  againft  a  Self-righte- 
ous Spirit  in  his  day,  and  mew  what  the  divine  law  requires 
in  heart  and  life,  and  mew  what  is  implied  in  the  curfe, 
and  from  the  eternal  punifhment  threatened,  infer  the  infi- 
nite evil  of  fin,  and  by  coniequence  our  infinite  obligations 
to  love  God  with  all  our  hearts,  and  yield  a  perfect  obedi- 
ence to  his  will ;  and  fhew  that  God  is  abfolutely  unobliged 
according  to  law,  that  perfect  rule  of  right,  either  to  aiTift 
the  Sinner,  or  to  pardon  his  defects;  and  urge  this  law 
home  upon  a  felf-righteous  heart,  as  the  law  of  the  great 
God,  the  law  which  was  honoured  on  the  crofs  of  Chrift, 
and  which  will  be  put  in  execution  at  the  day  of  Judgment 
on  every  Chrifilefs  Sinner,  Angels  and  Saints  fhouting 
Hallelujah  all  around  the  Judge  ;  and  as  th*  anvil  bounds 
back  the  hammer,  fo  will  fuch  a  heart  refift  the  truth.  And 
while  he  extenuates  his  fin  and  juflifies  himfelf,  he  will 
blame  the  law,  and  condemn  the  lawgiver, For, 

Says  the  profane, — "  To  fuppofe  that  my^delaying  Re- 
pentance one  day  longer,  is  fo  great  a  crime,  as  jullly  to 
expofe  me  to  the  eternal  pains  of  Hell  without  Hope,  can- 
not be  true.  Nor  will  I  ever  believe  God  is  fo  unjuft  as  to 
put  his  frail  creatures  under  fuch  a  law." And 

Says  the  awakened > — "  I  have  reformed  and  humbled 
myfelf  before  God,  and  prayed,  and  done  what  I  can. 
And  to  believe  now  after  all,  that  God  is  fliil  abfolutely 
unobliged  to  fhew  me  mercy  ;  that  he  requires  perfect  love 
and  perfect  obedience  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation;  is 
more  than  I  can  bear.     It  cannot  be  juftifted.     The  very 


SEC.  IX.]         A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.       '  137 

thoughts  of  it  breeds  hatred  and  heart-rifings  in  fpite  of 
my  heart." And, 

Says  the  Antinomian  convert,  "  I  always  found  by  ex- 
perience, that  it  was  irnpoffible  to  love  God,  before  1  be- 
lieved his  love  to  me.  And  by  experience  I  flill  find,  that 
it  is  impollible  to  love  God  in  (toy  other  view.  All  there- 
fore that  God  really  requires,  is,  that  we  believe  his  love 
to  us,  and  in  that  belief,  love  him  again."  And  thus  all 
three  ftand  difcharged  from  that  duty  which  the  divine 
law  requires,  felf-juftitled  ;  God  and  his  law  implicitly 
condemned. 

The  divine  law  fuppofeth,  tint  God  is  an  abfobnely 
perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being  ;  and  on 
this  ground  it  requiies  mankind,  each  and  every  one,  to 
love  him  with  all  their  hearts  on  pain  of  eternal  death. — 
This  it  requires  even  of  the  Gentiles,  who  never  heard  of 
the  grace  of  the  Gofpel,  and  confequently  of  all  mankind, 
antecedent  to  that  confideraticn.  And  in  the  fight  of  God 
all  were  without  excufe,  every  tncuth  fo/pt:d,  and  in  this  view 
of  the  cafe,  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  upon  the  crois,  to  de- 
clare this  law  to  be  holy,  jufland  good.  But  in  this  view, 
the  divine  law  is  univerfally  hated  by  every  fclf-rightecus 
heart,  and  a  ncn-conformity  thereto  is  univerfally  juilified, 
from  the  moft  profane  to  the  molt  devout. — "  I  cannot," 
cries  one. — "It  is  impcffible,"  cries  another. — '•*  The  very 
thought  of  fuch  a  law  breeds  hatred  and  heart-rifings,  in 
fpite  of  my  heart,"  cries  each  and  every  one.  (1) 

(1)  Mr.  Cudvjorth  has  gone  farther,  and  taken  a  'very  ex- 
traordinary ftep  indeed,  to yujlify  the  fcf -right ecus  Sinner ,  in 
not  loving  that  character  of  God,  nvhich  is  exhibited  in  the 
divine  la-xv,  in  honour  to  which  an  incarnate  God  died  on  the 
crofs.  He  net  only  declares,  and  endeavours  to  prove,  that  it  if 
'*  utterly  impnjjible"  to  love  it  :  but  aljo  that  to  love  it,  is  in  its 
cvjn  nature  a  ivicked  thing,  n  contrary  to  the  lavj  of  God." 
p.  224.  And  if"  contrary  to  the  lavs  of  God"  it  is  contrary 
to  the  nature  of  God.  God  himfelf  then  does  not  love  that  cha- 
racter. That  is,  God  the  Father  does  not  love  himfelf.  No 
ivonder  then  he  thinks,  that  to  love  this  character  is  **  beyond 
nvhat  Ada?n  did  in  Paradife,  beyond  the  Scripture  Saints,  the 
Apojlles,  and  even  fcfiis  Chrijl  himfelf."  For  if  it  is  "  con- 
trary to  the  law  of  God,"  and  fo  a  vjicked  thing,  it  mvji  be 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  God,  and  of  every  holy  Being  in  tht 


I38  THE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX. 

Now  that  belief,  which  gives  comfort  to  a  felf-righteous 
heart,  thus  at  enmity  againft  the  divine  law,  by  whatever 
humble  name  it  is  called,  does  in  facl,  feed  and  confirm  a 
felf- righteous  fpiric  :  And  for  that  reafon,  will  be  tenaci- 
oufly  maintained,  although  without  any  evidence  from 
Scripture,  fenfe  or  reafon.  So,  one  believes,  that  if  he  will 
do  as  well  as  he  can,  God  has  promiied  to  fave  him  :  And 
this  gives  him  eafe.  And  another  believes,  that  God  has 
promifed  abfolutely  to  fave  him  without  any  condition  at 
all  :  And  this  gives  him  comfort  more  abundantly.  And 
while  each  remain  ftrong  in  his  belief,  by  which  the  divine 

Vniverfe.  And  thus  the  f elf -righteous  Sinner  Jiands  compleatly 
j  if;  fed,  in  net  loving  God's  true  and  real  character.  Tea,  has 
ike  comfort  to  think  it  would  be  a  Jin  to  love  it :  Al  thing  *(  con- 
trary to  the  law  of  God." 

But  "  contrary  to  the  law  of  God"  and  wicked  as  it  is  : 
nofooner  does  he  fee  Theron  brought  through  the  regenerating  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  a  -view  cf  the  amiablenefs  of 
tins  character,  to  take  all  the  blame  of  his  difafeSlicn  to  ike 
Deity  hi'irfJf,  and  repent  and  return  to  God  through  J  ejus  Cbri/i, 
all  his  hope  of  acceptance  arijing  Jimply  from  merit  free  grace 
through  ike  great  atonement ,  but  he  changes  his  tone  ;  and  for 
the  fake  cf  condemning.  Theron,  exprejsly  contradicts  himfelf. — 
For  now,  ail  at  once,  that  <very  thing  which  he  had  been  jujt 
trying  to  prove  to  be  "  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,"  is  a  firmed 
to  be  of  fo  holy  and  divine  a  nature,  as  to  have  virtue  and 
merit  enough  in  it  to  atone  for  all  our  faf  fins,  and  recom- 
mend us  to  the  favour  of  God,  and  entitle  us  to  eternal  life, 
without  any  need  cf  Chrijl  or  his  atonement.  Such  converts 
as  1  make  my  Theron  to  he,  he  affirms  **  have  no  occafion  for  the 
Jovereign  mercy  of  God  in  J  efts  Chrijl.  They  are  entitled  to  life 
in  their  own  name,  on  the  foundation  of  their  own  love,  when- 
ever they  can  be  fund."  p.  227,  228.  And  this  he  fets  him- 
felf to  prove,  p.  261,  262,  from  the  words  cf  the  Prophet 
E^ekiel,  which  has  been  already  anfvjered. — So  that  according 
to  Mr.  Cud-worth,  that  which  is  in  its  own  nature  Jinful, 
f*  contrary  to  the  law  of  God"  is  more  meritorious  than  all  the 
virtue  of  the  heavenly  hojls,  which  would  not  be  Juficient  to 
atone  for  one  fin.  Yea,  its  virtue  is  as  effectual  to  fave,  as 
the  blood  and  rightcoujnejs  cf  the  Son  cf  God. — If  Mr.  Cud- 
worth  can  believe  all  this,  what  cannot  he  believe  ?  And  can 
fitch  a  man  be  reafoned  with  f 


SEC.  IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  TPIRIT.  1 39 

law  is  let  a-fideand  removed  out  of  fight,  each  enjoys  him- 
felf  full  well.  But  if  light  fliould  break  in,  and  the  divine 
law  come  into  view,  and  their  true  character  and  {late  ap- 
pear, dead  in  fm  and  under  the  curie,  both  would  return 
to  their  "  hatred  and  heart-riiings"  again,  as  much  as  ever. 
For  the  fin-extenuating,  felf-juitifying  temper,  remaining 
unmortiried,  God  and  his  law  will  be,  of  courfe,  hated  and 
condemned,  whenever  they  come  into  view.  The  Faith 
of  both  is  of  ufe  only  to  keep  God  and  his  lav/  out  of  fight 
and  out  of  mind,  and  thus  it  comforts  them.  Let  God  and 
his  law  come  into  view,  and  their  Faith  is  destroyed,  and 
their  comforts  are  gone,  and  their  heart-rifings  come  again. 
And  therefore  both  arc  to  the  laft  degree  tenacious  of  their 
different  fchemes.  A  Self-righteous  Spirit  lies  at  the  bot- 
tom of  all  their  zeal,  as  their  fchemes  are  adapted  to  give 
cafe  and  comfort  to  felf-righteous  hearts,  and  guard  and 
defend  them  from  the  terrors  of  the  divine  law,  prevent 
the  blafphemous  workings  of  their  own  minds,  which  be- 
get horror  and  awaken  the  fears  of  future  wrath. 

III.  A  Sin-extenuating,  Self-j unifying,  Self-tighteous 
frame  of  heart  is  in  direct  oppofition  to  the  Gofpel  of  Je- 
fus  Chrift.  For  had  our  difaffeclion  to  the  divine  Charac- 
ter not  been  as  criminal  as  the  curfe  of  the  law  fuppofed, 
there  had  been  no  leafon  the  Son  of  God  fnould  iiave  been 
made  a  curfe  in  our  ltead.  Had  there  been  any  plea  to 
extenuate  our  fault,  or  in  the  leaft  to  have  juftified  us  in 
our  not  loving  God  with  all  our  hearts,  the  law  had  not 
been  flrictly  right.  And  God's  being  fo  fevere  again  It  iin 
had  not  been  a  beauty  but  a  biemifli  in  his  character.  And 
if  there  had  been  a  biemifli  in  the  divine  Character,  to  love 
him  with  all  our  hearts,  had  been  ilrictly  and  properly  im- 
poffible.  The  fault  would  have  been  not  in  us,-  but  in  God. 
|-  And  fo  no  need  of  Chriit  to  die,  to  declare  God  to  be 
wholly  right.  Rather,  as  on  this  hypothecs,  God  was 
wrong,  he  ought  to  have  retraced,  to  have  repealed  his 
law,  and  granted  us  relief  ;  he  ought  in  juhHee  to  have 
done  it,  and  a  Mediator  was  altogether  neeulefs  in  the  cafe. 
And  thus,  the  Sinner  is  juiUfied,  and  God  condemned,  and 
the  whole  Gofpel  overthrown.  And  this  is  the  native  ten- 
dency of  a  Self-righteous  Spirit.  A  Self-righteous  Spirit  is 
therefore  in  direct  oppofition  to  the  Gofpel  of  Jefus  Chriit. 
And  accordingly, 

A  Self-righteous  Spirit  was  the  fourcc  of  the  hatred  and 


140  THE  NATURE  OF  [sEC.  IX. 

heart-rifings  of  the  Pharil'ees  againic.  the  chara&er  of  Jefus 
Chriit.  1  ney  cou^u  not  bear  to  think  themfelves  fo  bad 
as  his  doctrines  imported  ;  and  therefore  they  became  foon 
di  (affected  to* aid  ins  peiion.  joii.  iii.  19,  20,  21.  And 
when  he  plainly  told  them,  what  they  were  in  the  fight  of 
God,  and  wnat  they  delerved  at  his  hands,  in  the  xxiiid 
Chap,  of  Mat.  they  immediately  confpired  to  put  him  to 
death,  The  xxind  of  Maith.  contains  our  Saviour's  laft 
fpeech  to  the  Phariftes,  who,  three  days  after  got  him  fall 
nailed  to  the  crefs.  Ye  ferpents>  ye  generation  of  vipers,  bo-iv 
can  ye  tfcaft  the  damnation  of  Hell,  were  words  the  Phari- 
lees never  could  forgive.  The  character  thefe  words  gave 
the  Pharifees  was  no  worfe,  was  but  jull  equal  to  the  im- 
port of  the  divine  law,  the  law  God  gave  to  Mofes,  the 
very  law  which  the  Pharifees  pretended  to  believe  and 
love,  but  which  they  really  hated.  Our  Saviour  therefore, 
merited  their  relentment  by  thefe  words,  no  more  than 
God  the  Father  did  by  his  law.  And  indeed,  in  the  height 
of  all  their  religion  and  devotion,  they  hated  God  the 
Father,  as  much  as  they  did  Jefus,  his  well  beloved  Son. — 
And  their  hatred  to  the  true  God  had  led  them  to  frame  a 
falfe  image  of  God,  in  their  own  fancy,  to  fuit  their  own 
hearts.  This  falfe  image  they  loved,  and  were  zealous  for 
his  caufe.  And  this  love  and  zeal,  infinitely  odious  to  God 
as  it  was,  they  made  a  righteouinefs  of  and  gloried  in. — 
This  proud,  Self-righteous  Spirit,  prepared  them  to 
hate  and  murder  the  Son  of  God,  the  exprefs  image  of 
his  Father.  And  in  their  conduct,  as  in  a  glafs,  the 
nature  and  tendency  of  a  Self-righteous  Spirit  may  be 
clearly  feen. 

IV.  A  Sin-extenuating,  Self-juilifying,  Self-righteous 
Spirit,  is  cordially  beloved,  approved  of,  and  juftified  ;  and 
fo  reigns  in  the  heart  of  every  unregenerate  man  ;  how 
great  fcever  the  zeal  of  fome  may  feem  to  be  againir.  it. 
For  he  who  condemns  it  in' one  fhape,  may  heartily  like  it 
in  another.  And  every  unregenerate  man,  of  whatever 
profeilion,  Arminian,  Antinomian,  or  Calvinift,  is  at  en- 
mity againll:  God  and  his  law  ;  and  therefore  is  difpofed 
to  juftify  himfelf,  and  lay  the  blame  upon  his  Maker.  Be- 
ing better  inftrucled,  many  may  keep  their  thoughts  to 
themfelves,  as  being  rationally  convinced  they  are  wrong, 
how  naturally  foever  they  flow  from  their  hearts,  nnd  indi- 
cate the   true   temper  of  their  fouls;  but  thoufands  will 


SEC,  IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS   SPIRIT.  141 

boldly  fpeak  out  their   minds,   and  in  their  ignorance  at- 
tempt tojuftify  themfelves  before  their  Maker. 

"  It  is  impoffible,"  c:  irs  one,  "  that  1  fhould  love  GoJ, 
before  1  know  my  fins  are  pardoned  :  fur  there  is  no  love- 
linefs  in  his  nature  in  any  other  view."  And  if  there  is 
no  lovelinefs  in  his  nature,  but  on  this  account  ;  then  the 
law,  which  without  any  refpeel  to  this  requires  us  to  love 
Gcd  with  all  the  heart,  is  wrong.  And  io  the  man  :s  not 
to  blame,  but  (lands  juRified,  in  his  non-conformity  to  this 
perfect  rule  of  right. 

"  But  the  divine  law  requires  finlefs  perfection,"  fay§ 
another,  "  and  that  on  the  penalty  of  eternal  damnations 
but  this  is  more  than  any  Ion  of  Adam  can  do."  And 
what  confequence  would  he  draw  from  thefe  words,  to 
which  he  has  no  determinate  ideas,  as  fuch  men  will  admit 
of  no  diiHnction  between  want  of  heart,  and  want  of  power 
— What  confequence,  1  fay  r — Why,  in  his  efteem,  no  fon 
of  Adam  is  to  be  blamed,  for  not  being  perfect  as  our 
Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is  perfect.  And  fo  an  apoftate 
world  all  ltand  juftitied  at  once,  in  their  net  continuing  in 
nil  things  'written  i;i  the  bock  of  the  lava  to  do  them.  And 
therefore  the  holy  one  of  lirael  mr.it  be  condemned,  for 
denouncing  the  curfe  in  this  cafe.  And  the  Son  cf  God 
muft  be  fuppofed  to  have  died  a  facrifice  to  tyranny.  All 
which  is  no  better  than  down-right  blafphemy,  pregnant 
with  Infidelity.  But  a  felf-righteous  heart  will  maintain 
its  ground,  and  Hand  the  fhock,  although  to  the  fubveriion 
of  all  religion,  natural  and  revealed. 

Therefore  1  fay,  a  Self-righteous,  Self-juftifying  difpo- 
fition,  not  only  operates,  but  reigns  in  every  unregeneratc 
heart.  It  is  loved,  it  is  approved,  it  is  jollified,  it  has  fill 
poileiTion  of  the  heart.  Even  fo  full  pofleffion,  as  to  be 
proof  againft  all  the  miracles  which  fupport  the  truth  of 
divine  Revelation.  And  therefore  let  God  declare  in  his 
law,  that  any  defect  of  perfect  obedience  merits  eternal 
woe  ;  and  let  the  goodnefs  of  this  law  be  afTerted  and 
fealed  by  the  blood  of  an  incarnate  God,  it  is  all  to  nq 
purpofe.  A  feif-j citifying  heart  will  ftand  its  ground^  and 
vindicate  itfelf,  in  oppciition  to  all. 

Oar  blefled  Saviour,  the  exprefs  irrage  of  his  Father.; 
perfon,  viewed  the  character  of  the  Pharifees  in  the  iame 
light  his   Father's  law  did,    and   in   his  heart  he  verily 

O 


I42  THE  NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX. 

though:  "  all  Heaven  ought  forever  to  love  and  adore  the 
infinitely  glorious  Majeity,  although  they  received  their 
juit  ciefi-i  t,  and  periflied  forever."  Ye  ferpents,  ye  genera- 
Hen  of  viper* ,  hew  ecu  ye  efcape  the  damnation  of  liell?—~ 
And  had  they  viewed  tliemfelvefi  in  the  fame  light,  and 
hzd  an  aafwerable  frame  of  heart;  they  had  not  been  djf- 
guftcd,  but  rather  pleaded  with  his  character.  "Truth, 
Lord,  we  are  fcrpents,  we  are  a  generation  of  vipers,  an 
infinitely  odious  and  hateful  race,  worthy  of  the  damnation 
of  Hell.  Nor  would  it  be  a  blemiih,  but  a  beauty  in  the 
divine  conduct,  to  fend  us  thither".  This  would  have  been 
to  have  thought  foberly  ci"  themfelves,  and  as  they  ought 
to  ha\e  thought.  (1)  But  juit  the  reverfe  was  the  temper 
of  their  hearts.  "  You  think  damnation  good  enough  for 
r.3.  And  we  think  crucifixion  good  enougn  for  you.  Away 
with  Inn,  away  vJttb  him  !  crucify  him,  crucify  him  /" — 
And  if  thefe  men  had  no  cloak  for  their  fin  in  our  Saviour's 
eyes,  1700  years  ago,  we  may  be  allured  that  all  our  felf- 
juilifying  pleas,  will  be  efteemed  of  no  weight  in  his  fight, 
when  he  comes  to  jtidge  the  world  according  to  his  Fa- 
ther's law,  in  all  its  rigour.     00  far,  fo  very  .far  from  it, 

(1)  This  would  heme  been  to  have  thought  foberly  of  them- 
f elves,  and  as  they  ought  to  have  thought.  No,  fays  Mr.  Cud- 
worth,  this  would  ba-ve  been  f<  the  fuinmit"  of  f elf -right  eouf- 
nefs,  p.  224.  That  isf  if  the  Pharifees  bad  viewed  their 
own  character  in  that  odious  point  cf  light,  in  which  Cbrift 
did,  it  had  been  tie  l.igheji  degree  of  pride. — Why  then  were 
not  the  Pharifees  f  leafed  with  that  adieus  characler  Cbrifl 
gave  them  f  Why  was  not  their  pride  gratified  by  thefe  words, 
Ye  ferpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  efcape 
the  damnation  of  Hell  ?  Does  Mr.  Cudvccrth  really  believe, 
that  God  the  Father  and  God  the  Son  viewed  the  character 
of  the  Pharifees  in  a  point  of  light,  in  -which,  if  the  Pharifees 
bad  viewed  themfelves,  it  mujl  have  cherijked  and  fed  a  Self- 
righteous  Spirit  ?  To  believe  this  is  worfe  than  infidelity. — 
A\d yet  this  is  implied  in  his  charging  my  Theron  with  Self' 
right  coufmfs,  merely  for  viewing  his  Characler,  in  the  very  light 
in  which  it  Jlocd  in  the  eyes  of  God  and  of  his  Sen,  in  which 
view  he  thought  in  his  heart,  that  all  Heaven  ought  forever 
to  "  love  and  adore  the  infinitely  glorious  Majtjiy,  although  he 
received  his  juf  defer t  and per: ;jbecl  forever. ."  And  fo  God  the 
Father  thought,  and  fo  thcught  J  ejus  Chrijl  his  Son. 


SEC.  IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.  142 

that  when  he  pronounces  the  final  Sentence,    Angels  aid 
Saints  will  fhout  forth  their  Hallelujah's  all  around  htm. 

There  is  not  a  felf-j unifying  Sinner  on  Earth,  who  has 
a  better  plea  to  make  in  his  own  behalf  than  manv  a  Phari- 
fee  had.  Can  you  fay,  "  I  am  ftritl  in  external  dupes." 
"I  more,"  might  the  Pharifee  fay.  "All  chefe  things 
have  I  kept  from  my  you'.h  up.  Yea,  as  coaching  the 
righteoufnefs  of  the  law,  I  am  blamelefs.  For  lo  !  thefe 
many  years  do  I  fer\c  thee,  neither  tr an fg raffed  I  at  ar.y 
time  thy  commandment." — "  Yes,  but  I  praclice  many 
difficult  and  felf-denying  duties,"  faya  the  Sinner.  "  [ 
more,"  fays  the  Pharifee,  **  I  hft  twice  in  the  week,  and 
give  tythes  of  all  that  I  pofiefs." — "  But  I  am  hearty  ard 
zealous  in  religion,"  fays  the  Sinner. — "  I  more,"  fays  the 
Pharifee  ;  "  For  with  great  expence  and  fatigue  I  compafj 
fea  and  land  to  make  profclytes." — "  Bat  I  believe  that 
God  loves  me,  and  that  I  mall  afluredly  have  eternal  life, 
and  in  this  belief,  I  love  God,"  fays  the  Sinner. — CI 
more,"  fays  the  Pharifee  ;  '*  For  we  know  we  not  only 
have  Abraham  to  our  Father,  but  God  is  our  Father.  And 
J  can  thank  God  I  am  not  as  other  rr.cn,  in  his  very  pre- 
fence,  for  he  knows  how  good  and  how  upright  I  am." — 
"  Yes,  bat  the  Pharifecs  hated  Jefus  Chriih"  fays  the  Sin- 
ner. True,  but  no  more  than  you  hate  that  character  of 
God  which  is  exhibited  in  that  law,  to  do  honour  to  which, 
the  Son  of  God  laid  down  his  life.  They  felt  toward  the 
character  of  Jefus  Chrift,  juft  as  every  felf-righteous  Sin- 
ner feels  toward  the  character  of  God  the  Father  exhibited 
in  his  law. — '«  Yes,  but  T  believe  the  Gofocl,  and  they  re- 
jected it."  You  cordially  believe  the  Gofpel  in  no  othei 
fort  than  they  believed  the  writings  of  Mofes,  viz.  under- 
flood  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  juftify  them,  even  as  they  juf- 
tified  themfelves.  In  every  other  fenfe,  whatever  orthodox 
profefiion  the  Self-righteous  Sinner  may  make  with  his 
mouth,  yet  in  the  temper  of  his  heart,  he  rejects  the  Gof- 
pel  as  much  as  they  did.  For  no  man  believes  that  Jefus 
is  the  Chrift,  with  all  his  heart,  but  he  who  is  born  of  God  . 
i  Joh.  v.  i.  Indeed,  you  may  give  the  Gofpel  a  new 
meaning  of  your  own,  juit  as  they  did  the  writings  of  Mo- 
fes, and  this  new  meaning  you  mav  love  ?nd  believe  cor- 
dially, c\cn  as  they  believed  their  pharifaical  fcheme.  But 
the  very  truth  you  hate  and  oppefe  in  the  temper  of  your 
O     2" 


144  TiIE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX. 

.    cvcb  as  they   hated  and  oppofed  Chrift  in  an  open 

and   public  manner.     tl  But  it  is  impolfible  this  fhould  be 

:er,  for  then  I  am  no  better  than  an  enemy  to  the 

of  Heaven,"  fays  the  Sinner. — True,  exactly  true. — 

This  is  your  very  character  in  the  fight  of  Heaven..     As  it 

is  written,   Rem.  v?ii.  7.   The  carnal  mind  is  e;:n:'i!y   again/} 

God,  is  '.;/  fubjeel  to. lis  lazv,  neither  indeed  can  be.      And 

iviour,  the  meek  and  lowly  Jefus,  told 

the    Pharifees,  Ye  ferments,  ye  generation   of  vipers.     Nor 

they   any  reafon  to  take  this  plain  dealing  iil  at  his 

hands. 

V.  There  is  nothing  fhort  of  the  regenerating  influen- 
ces of  the  holy  Spirit,  that  can  effectually  take  down  the 
~ri::e  of  a  Self-righteous  heart,  and  beget  a  difpofitien  to 
juftify  GoJ,  and  take  biame  to  ourfelves,  anfwerable  to 
the  import  of  the  divine  law. 

Scriptural  and  rational  arguments  cannot  do  it.  Rather 
:  Leviathan  in  the  book  of  Job,  rjieemetbiron  as  franv, 
and  brafs  as  rctten  <vjocd  j  fo  all  Scriptural  and  rational 
arguments  arc  before  a  Self-righteou3  heart. 

Miracles  are  alfo  inefficient.  For  when  the  Pharfees 
could  evade  the  force  of  them  no  other  way,  they  would, 
even  in  contradiction  to  common  fenfe,  declare,  he'cajleth 
out  Devils  by  Beelzebub.  Jufl  as  if  Satan  might  be  divided 
again/}  him/elf. 

Nay,  Scripture,  and  Reafon,  and  Miracles,  all  united 
together,  are  not  able  to  take  down  the  pride  of  a  felf- 
righteoes  heart.  St.  Paul  tried  them  all,  and  he  did  his 
bell:,  and  a  little  before  his  death,  in  an  Epiftle  to  his  fon 
Timothy,  he  fairly  owns  himfelf  beat.  2  Tim.  iii.  13.  E- 
njil  men  and  feducers  Jhall  nvax  nvorfe  and  nvorfe,  deceiving 
find  Icing  deceived.  He  could  make  them  fee  that  they 
were  inconfiitent  with  themfelves,  and  even  make  it  appear 
to  others  that  they  were  felf-condemned  ;  but  ftill  they 
would  obftiaatcly  maintain  their  felf- righteous  principles, 
although  they  were  excommunicated  for  it.  Tit.  iii.  10, 
1 1.  And  thefe  men  were  our  cnfamples,  and  thefe  things 
were  written  for  our  injlruclion. 

For  an  impenitent  Sinner  to  "  believe  that  God  loves 
him  and  that  his  fins  are  forgiven,"  inllead  of  taking  down, 
naturally  feeds  the  pride  of  a  felf-righteous  heart.  Wit- 
nefs  the  Pharifees  of  old. 

To  fay,   "  that  we  are  to  be  perfectly  pafiive,  to  do  no- 


SEC.  IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.  145 

thing,  to  feel  no  motion  in  our  hearts  ;  but  to  be  juilined 
without  any  act,  exercife  or  exertion  in  the  haman  mind," 
does  not  indeed  agree  with  Scripture  language,  which 
calls  upon  us  to  repent  and  be  converted,  and  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jefus  Chrifl,  that  our  Jin  s  may  be  blotted  cut,  and  we  be 
Jawed  ;  however  it  is  not  fo  difagfeeable  to  the  pride  of 
an  indolent,  fluggiili  heart,  dead  in  fin,  but  that  it  may 
pafs.  For  if  men  can  but  get  a  hope  they  (hall  be  faved, 
without  being  brought  down  to  own  that  God's  character 
is  as  glorious,  and  theirs  as  odious,  as  the  divine  law  fup- 
pofes,  and  fo  without  being  nece&tattd  to  look  to  free  grace 
through  Jefus  Chrift,  in  that  precipe  point  of  light,  in  which 
it  is  exhibited  to  view  in  the  Gofpel,  the  life  of  A  gag  is 
faved  ;  a  proud,  impenitent,  Self-juftifying,  Self-righteoaa 
Spirit  is  unfubdued  ;  and  the  native  enmity  of  the  heart 
again  ft  the  divine  Character,  keeps  its  ground.  And  a 
carnal  heart,  under  terror,  can,  in  a  ftrait,  bear  with  any 
fcheme,  in  which  thefe  points  may  be  faved.  But  to  exalt 
God  fo  high,  and  come  down  fo  low,  as  in  the  lea  ft  degree 
to  anfwer  to  the  import  of  the  divine  law,  and  to  the  im- 
port of  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  is  Co  diametrically  oppofite  to 
the  temper  of  a  carnal  heart,  which  is  at  enmity  agair.it. 
God,  that  nothing  friort  of  the  regenerating  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  can  effect  it. 

No  conviction,  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  mind  of 
a  natural  man,  remaining  fuch,  is  capable  of,  is  fufficient 
to  ftrike  death  to  the  root  of  a  proud,  Self-righteous,  Self- 
juftifying  difpofition.  Great  convictions  of  fin  and  guilt 
a  natural  man  is  capable  of.  Yea,  it  is  pcfiible  the  con- 
fcience  of  a  natural  man  may  be  fo  awakened,  as  that  he 
may  know,  may  be  quite  certain,  that  there  is  not  the  Icaft 
jot  of  goodnefs  in  his  heart ;  Yea,  that  he  is  dead,  alto- 
gether dead  in  fin  ;  and  fo  has  nothing  in  the  world  to 
make  a  righteoufnefs  of:  whereby  he  may  be  driven  to  de- 
fpair,  totally  to  defpair  of  mercy,  from  this  quarter;  Yea, 
and  his  mouth  be  fo  ftopped,  as  that  he  has  not  one  word 
to  fay  for  himfelf :  vet  all  this,  how  much  foever  it  may 
knock  down  and  ftun  a  Self-righteous  Spirit,  does  not  in 
the  leaft  cure  the  mind  of  a  Self-righteous  difpofition, — 
And  nothing  is  wanting  but  materials  to  work  upon,  and 
thp  difpofition  will  rife  again,  and  live  and  teign  as  high 
as  ever.  Thus  it  is  in  fomc  Sinners  who  have  had  great 
O     3 


I46  THE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  IX. 

legal  convi&icns,  upon  their  receiving  falfe  comfort  and 
getting' falfe  religious  afrettions,  they  have  been  more 
proud  after  their  fappofed  converfion  than  ever  they  were 
before  ;  and  more  under  the  government  of  a  Self-righ- 
teous,  Self  jellifying  Spirit.  Proud  when  full  of  comfort; 
and  when  their  good  feelings  are  all  gone,  virtually  lay- 
ing ail  the  blame  to  God,  who,  they  fay,  is  withdrawn 
from  them,  and  they  can  do  nothing  of  themfelves  ;  not 
once  imagining  that  they  are  really  criminal,  infinitely 
criminal  in  the  fight  of  God,  for  not  loving  the  Lord  their 
God  nuito  all  their  hearts,  according  to  the  firft  and  great 
command  of  God's  holy  law.  And  hence  it  is  always  dif- 
ficult, to  convince  a  deluded  Sinner  in  proportion  as  his 
falfe  comforts  and  jovs  have  been  great.  Although  in  ftri<5t 
truth,  there  is  no  more  grace  in  the  heart  of  the  devouteft 
Pharifee  on  Earth,  than  in  the  vilefl  pirate  that  ever  failed 
the  fear-.  For  it  is  true  of  every  unregenerate  man,  that 
he  is  at  evmity  againft  Gcd.   Rom.  viii.  7. 

By  the  law  is  the  knowledge  cf  fin  ;  and  by  the  law  a 
natural  man  may  fee  that  ho  is  a  Sinner  in  fo  compleat 
a  fenfe,  as  that  he  has  nothing  to  make  a  righteoufnefs  of; 
and  yet  the  felf-righteous  diipcfuion  may  remain  wholly 
unmortified.  Thus  in  this  fenfe,  no  doubt,  Satan  now 
knows,  that  lie  is  a  Sinner  ;  and  in  this  fenfe,  it  is  certain, 
iiatan  and  all  wicked  beings  will  know,  at  the  day  of 
Judgment,  that  they  are  Sinners.  However,  the  pride 
of  Sat.in's  heart  is  not  mortified  now,  nor  will  the  pride  of 
oatan  or  any  oth^r  wicked  being  be  flain  by  the  convic- 
tions they  will  receive  at  the  day  cf"  Judgment. 

Nothing  can  effectually  take  down  the  heart,  fhort  of 
that  light,  in  which  the  divine  law  and  our  own  character  is 
feen,  through  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  holy  Spi- 
rit. If  before  regeneration  the  commandment  come,  Jin  re^ 
<vivc,  and  I  die,  in  a  fort  ;  yet  all  this  is  fore  againft  the 
of  the  heart :  but  it  is  in  regeneration,  that  1  throuph 
the  law  a?:i  cordially  dead  to  the  la-iv,  that  1  may  li<ve  to 
God. Tc^r, 

A  di  -   to  juftify  ourfclves,  in  not  loving  God  with 

will  itfelf  actually  die  and  ceaie  to  be,  and 
the  c<  .'ion  take  place,  only  in  proportion  as 

Gcd  appears  to  cur  fouls  worthy  of  cur  fupreme  love. — 
It  is  this,  and  nothing  fl.crt  of  this,  which  will  incline  us, 
frocuhe  heart,  of  our  own  accord,  to  take  all  the  blame  of 


SEC.   IX.]  A  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  SPIRIT.  I47 

our  difaffeclion  to  the  divine  Character  home  to  ourfelves. 
And  lb  while  :ne  divine  law  is  viewed  in  the  iight  of  the 
divine  glory,  it  will  appear  as  it  never  did  befure,  holy, 
jull  and  good,  a  glorious  law  ;  and  it  will  ccme  to  pds, 
as  it  is  written  ;  /  through  the  lazv  urn  d<.ad  to  the  la-iv,  that 
I  may  live  to  God. 

Trie  damned  will  at  the  day  cf  Judgment  have  fuch  a 
knowledge  of  God  and  of  ihemieives,  as  will  convince 
their  conlcie-ces,  that  the  law  is  juit.  Rom.  ii  5.  Jude  15. 
Sore  againft  their  wills,  they  wiii  be  forced  to  own,  that 
God  ought  to  have  been  loved  and  obeyed  ;  and  that  they 
deferve  damnation  for  their  oifarfection  and  rebellion. — 
But,  being  blind  to  the  holy  beauty  of  the  divine  Nature, 
they  will  feel  no  inclination,  no  free,  genuine,  cordial 
difpofition  to  take  the  blame  of  their  difarfedion  and  re- 
bellion home  to  themfelves.  Their  proud,  felf-j  unifying 
temper  will  remain  unmodified,  while  they  are  confeience 
convinced  that  they  are  abfolutely  without  excufe.  They 
would  be  heartily  glad  to  excufe  themfelves  and  lay  t:;e 
blame  upon  God,  if  they  could.  Their  old  difpofuion 
that  way  will  be  wholly  alive  :  but  their  mouths  will  be 
flopped.  And  therefore  they  will  blafpheme  God,  and  be 
felf  condemned,  bo:h  at  once.    An  amazing,  dreadful  ft  ate. 

But  in  regeneration,  the  Sinner  is  brought  to  fuch  a 
view  of  God,  as  an  abfolutely  perfect,  infinitely  glorious 
and  amiable  Being  ;  and  to  fuch  a  view  of  the  divine  law 
as  holy,  juif.  and  good,  a  glorious  law  ;  as  even  begins  to 
kill  a  felf- righteous,  felf-j unifying  difpofuion  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  heart.  And  from  the  inmoft  foul  the  man  be- 
gins to  fee,  think,  and  feel  that  God  is  wholly  right,  and 
that  he  himfelf  is  wholly  wrong  ;  and  fo  from  the  heart 
to  give  up  every  fin-extenuating,  felf-juftifying  plea,  and 
cordially  to  take  the  whole  blame  to  himfeif  and  frankly 
to  own  the  honed  truth.  /  have fenced  againft  Heaven  and 
in  thy  fights  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  Son. — 
God  be  merciful  unto  me  a  finver. 

And  now  and  not  till  now,  will  he  begin  to  fee  that  h* 
needs  that  kind  of  pardon  which  the  Gofpel  offers.  A  par- 
don which  fupn^ies,  that  our  difaffecuon  to  the  Deity  is 
entirely  inexcufkble,  yea  infinitely  criminal.  So  very  cri- 
minal that  the  blood  of  an  incarnate  God  was  neceuv'-y  to 
make  atonement  for  it,  that  confident  with  the  honour  of 
the  divine  Goverament,  it  might  be  forgiven. 


I48  THE  NATURE  OF  [sEC.  IX. 

And  now,  and  not  till  now,  will  he  begin  to  fee  the 
atonement  or  Chrift.  For  till  now  he  will  not  begin  to  fee 
his  difaffe&ion  to  the  Deity  (o  very  criminal,  as  to  render 
fuch  .  lenl  needful,  in  order  to  his  being  pardoned, 

confiilent  with  t.ie  divine  nonour. 

Ana  as  bis  fenfe  of  God,  as  an  abfo'utely  perfect,  infi- 
nirely  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  increaieth  ;  and  his 
fenfe  of  the  divine  law  as  holy,  juil  and  good,  a  glorious 
law,  honoured  on  the  crofs  by  the  blood  of  an  incarnate 
God  ;  snd  his  fenfe  of  the  inexcufubienefs  and  infinite  evil 
of  not  loving  God  with  all  his  heart;  as  a  fenfe  of  thefe 
increafes,  his  proud,  felf-righteous,  felf-juftifying  difpofi- 
tion  will  die;  and  iiis  need  of  Chrift  and  free  grace  appear 

in  aclearerand  clearer  light. No  man  fofenfible  of  his 

need  of  Chriil  and  hee  grace,  as  the  Apoftle  Paul,  who 
beyond  doubt  was  the  hulieit  of  all  mere  men,  that  ever 
lived. ~-I  through  tie  laiv  am  dead  to  the  lavot  that  I  may 
live  to  God.      1  am  crucified  voith  Chrift. 


SECTION    X. 

T'be  Nature  and  Co?ifequences  of  Spiritual  Blindnefs  :  and 
how  the  God  of  this  world  blinds  the  minds  of  them 
that  believe  net. 

"\A/rH  EN  it  is  faid,  that  Satan  provoked  or  itirred  up 
*  ^  David  to  number  Ij'rael,  (1  Chron.  xxi.  1)  it  is  not 
to  be  imagined,  that  the  corruptions  of  his  own  heart  did 
not  move  him  to  that  deed.  This  was  no  doubt  the  true 
ftate  of  the  cafe,  (ver.  17)  and  Satan  only  took  advantage 
of  thofe  corruptions  to  fet  him  on.  So  when  it  is  faid, 
that  the  God  of  this  vcorld  blinds  the  minds  of  them  thai  be- 
lieve not,  lejl  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gcfpel  of  Chrift ',  vjho  is 
the  image  of  God,  jbould  ftjine  unto  them  j  no  doubt  the  cor- 
ruptions of  the  human  heart  lie  at  the  bottom  of  all  that 
criminal  blindnefs,  which  Satan  endeavours  to  encreafe  and 
firenghten  by  all  ways  in  his  power. 

The  queflion  therefore  comes  to  this,  €t  What  is  there 
in  the  human  heart,  which  renders  men  blind  to  the  glory 


SEC.  X.]  SPIRITUAL  B-LIN'DNESS.  149 

of  the  Gofpel."  Or  in  other  words,  "What  is  there  in 
the  heart  of  a  fallen  creature,  which  renders  hirn  blind  to 
the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  divine  Nature,  (Lining  wi:h 
fo  mucii  brightnefs,  in  the  Gofpel- way  offalvation  through 
the  blood  of  Chrift  :''  For  if  Man  were  not  a  fallen,  de- 
praved, vicious  creature,  he  could  not  be  blind  to  fuch 
beauty  ;  a  beatity  which  affects  the  hearts  and  engages  the 
attention  of  all  the  ang:-lical  Plods,  who  have  rot  that  (pe- 
cial  concern  in  the  affair  which  we  have.  They  defire — 
earneftly  defire  to  look  into  thefe  thing.-.,  i  Pet.  i.  12.  And 
difcern  in  them  the  manifold  wifdom  of  God.  Eph.  iii.  10. 

I.  Spiritual  Blindnefs  confifts  primarily  in  the  want  of 
Spiritual  Sight  :  or  in  not  beinci:  femlble  of  the  lovelinefs, 
beauty  and  glory  of  divine  things,  as  they  are  in  them- 
felves.  There  is  a  natural  beauty  and  glory  in  the  natural 
world,  in  the  fun,  moon  and  flars,  &e.  which  men  fee  who 
are  not  naturally  blind  :  fo  there  is  a  holy,  heavenly,  divine 
beauty  and  glory  in  divine  things,  in  God  and  Chrift,  in 
the  Law  and  Gofpel,  &c.  which  men  fee,  who  are  not  fpi- 
ritually  blind.  The  word  Blind nefty  which  is  applied  to 
the  mind,  is  borrowed  from  one  of  cur  external  fenfes  ; — 
and  in  its  original  fignificatiou,  means  a  privation  of  fight. 
So  it  was  with  the  man  born  blind.  He  was  deftitute  of  the 
fight  of  his  eyes  from  his  birth.  But  this  outward  blind - 
nefs,  although  in  feveral  refpedls  a  great  refemblance  of 
inward  Spiritual  Blindnefs  ;  as  a  blind  man  hns  no  more 
idea  of  natural  beauty,  than  one  fpiritually  blind  has  of 
divine  beauty;  yet  there  is  this  great  effential  difference  be- 
tween the  blindnefs  of  the  eyes,  and  the  Spiritual  Blindnefs 
of  the  mind,  viz.  One  is  the  nature  of  a  calamity  fimply,  the 
other  is  not  only  a  calamity,  but  i?  alfo  of  a  vicious  nature, 
in  itfelf  properly  a  crime  ;  as  it  is  feated  chiefly  in  the 
heart,  andconfiits  in  being  itupid  to  that  divine  beauty  and 
lovelinefs,  with  which  the  mind  cught  to  be  deeply  affec- 
ted. To  have  no  reliih  for  holy  beauty,  to  have  no  heart 
to  look  upon  holinefs  itfelf  a  lovely  thing,  is  equivalent  to 
having  no  heart  to  love  the  holy  one  of  Ifrael,  who  is 
the  God  of  glory  ;  which  beyond  all  doubt  is  criminal,  and 
that  in  a  very  high  degree. 

Were  we  acquainted  with  a  man,  who  appeared  to  be 
without  any  fpark  of  generofity  or  friendfhip  in  his  heart, 
a  man  that  cared  not  in  the  lead  for  his  neighbour's  wel- 
fare or  for  the  public  good,  and  even  without  natural  affecr 


150  THE  NATURE  OF  [SEC.  X* 

tion  to  his  own  offspring,  no  feeling  to  any  intereft  but  his 
own  ;  common  feufc  would  teach  us  to  look  upon  ftfch  a 
chr.  racier  as  very  vicious.  And  if  he  was  blind  to  thewaritl 
of  the  poor,  and  deaf  to  their  cries,  wc  mould  look  upon 
that  blindncfs  ^.nd  deafnffs  of  a  criminal  nature.  And  the 
more  blind  and  dc^f,  the  more  criminal  fhculd  we  pro- 
nounce the  man.  And  by  parity  of  reafon,  if  we  are  blind 
to  the  lovelinefl  of  the  moil  excellent  Being  in  thcuniverfe, 
diicovered  in  the  cleared  and  brightefi:  manner,  it  mufl, 
by  all  holy  Beings,  by  all  good  Judges,  be  looked  upon  as 
being  of  the  nature  df  a  crime.  If  a  hard  hearted  man  juf- 
tiftes  himlelf  in  being  blind  to  the  diilreffing  wants  of  the 
poor,  every  feif-julHijir.g  pica,  in  the  eyes  of  his  benevo- 
lent neighbour,  will  render  his  character  fo  much  the  more 
vile  and  odious.  And  if  to  be  blind  to  the  beauty  of  the 
divine  Nature,  ever  fo  clearly  revealed,  is  no  crime  ;  then 
it  is  no  crime  not  to  love  Gcd  :  i.  e.  no  crime  to  live  in 
the  breach  of  the  firft  and  great  command,  and  no  crime  to 
be  without  tlrt  which  is  the  chief  foundation  of  all  Reli- 
gion. And  we  may  as  well  fay,  there  is  no  crime  in  a  to- 
tal difregard  to  aii  Eeing  in  general,  and  in  being  entirely 
under  the  government  of  felfifh  affections.  Which  is  as 
abfurd,  as  to  fay,  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  fyftem,  worth 
the  leaf!  regard,  but  ourfelves.  And  therefore  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture,  a  heart  off  cm,  that  is,  a  blind,  fenfe- 
lefs,  ftupid  heart,  is  one  name  given  to  a  wicked  ungodly 
heart.  Becaufe  in  Scripture  account,  to  be  as  blind,  fenfe- 
lefs,  and  flupid  to  the  glory  of  divine  things  as  a  ilone,  is 
of  a  criminal  nature.  A  heart  of  ftone  is  a  wicked  heart. 
Our  blefTed  Saviour,  by  all  he  fiid  and  did,  gave  himfelf  a 
character  without  a  b]en:i(h,  perfecl  in  beauty.  His  Difci- 
plcs,  were  but  poor  illiterate  fifnermen,  beheld  bis  glory,  as 
the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  Gcd.  Others,  who  were 
gentlemen  of  good  ier.fe  and  a  polite  education,  wife  and 
prudent,  were  fo  far  from  difcerning  any  for m  or  comelinefs 
in  him,  that  they  cried.  He  is  a  Samaritan,  and  hath  a  De- 
vil 1  why  hear  ye  him?  And  therefore,  as  their  blindnefs 
to  the  beauty  of  his  chiracler  was  not  for  want  of  natural 
abilities,  or  outward  advantages,  but  owing  entirely  to  the 
ftate  of  their  minds,  to  the  frame  of  their  hearts ;  Co  it  was 
altogether  of  a  criminal  nature.  And  they  had  no  cloak  for 
their  fin,  in  our  Saviour's  judgment.  To  fay,  they  had 
fomc  cloak,   and   were  not  altogether  criminal  in  their 


SEC.  X.]  SPIRITUAL    BLINDNESS.  151 

blindnefs  ;  is  to  fay,  there  was  fame  blemilh  in  our  Savi- 
our's character  :  Which  is  no  better  than  downright  In- 
fidelity. 

II.  Spiritual  blindnefs  which  originally  confifts  in  a  want 
of  relilh  for  holy  beauty,  for  that  beauty  which  is  pecu- 
liar to  holy  beings  and  holy  things,  and  is  criminal  consi- 
dered as  fnch  ;  is  capable  of  being  greatly  increafed  and 
confirmed  through  the  exercife  and  intiuence  of  the  various 
corruptions  of  a  wicked  heart,  whereby  it  may  become 
criminal  in  a  (till  higher  degree.  And  here  the  Gcd  of  this 
world  may  have  a  great  hand  in  blinding  the  minds  of 
them  that  believe  not,  leil  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gofpel 
mould  mine  unto  them. 

Thus  to  a  worldly  heart,  the  Devil  m?.y  poflibly  prefent 
the  glory  of  this  world,  the  glory  of  riches,  honours,  and 
pleafures,  in  fo  flrong  a  light:,  as  quite  to  carry  away  the 
mind  from  all  ferious  thoughts  about  God  and  Chrift,  and 
a  future  (late.      They  fay  unto  God,    depart  from  us,  for  ivg 
defre  not  the  knowledge  cfthy  ways.     So  that  when  the  Gof- 
pel is  preached  in  all  its  glory,  it  (hall  not  be  able  to  gain 
the  lead  regard  ;   nay,  not  fo  much  as  to  gain  the  leaft  at- 
tention of  the  mind.     And  when  fermon  is  over,  like  the 
generality  of  the  Jews  in  Chrilt's  day,  they  make  light  of  it 
and  go  their  way,  one  to  his  farm,  and  another  to  his  merchan- 
dize. By  this  means  multitudes,  if  not  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  ungodly  men,   under  the  Gofpel,  live  and  die,  fo  inat- 
tentive to  the  Gofpel  fcheme;  as  never  to  gain  any  consi- 
derable acquaintance   with  it.     They  are  too  indifferent 
about  the  matter  ever  to  get,  what  is  called,  a  doctrinal 
knowledge  of  the  Chriilian  Religion.     So  alfo  the  young 
and  gay  part  of  mankind,  are  eager  in  the  purfuit  of  paf- 
times,  merriments  and  (ports,  to  the  entire  neglect  of  all 
divine  things,  while  Satan  is  not  wanting  to  do  all  he  may 
to  pulh  them  on,  that  they  may  never  attend  to  the  glorious 
Gofpel  of  Chrift.     And  while  mankind  thus  ferve  divers 
lulls  and  pleafures,  and  live  in  malice  and  eavy  befides,  hate- 
ful and  hating  one  another,  the  Gcf-el  is  to  them,  like  the 
feed,  which  fell  by  the  way-fide,  all  thrown  away  and  left. 
But  if  by  the  various  (hocking  calamities  of  this  life- 
and  the  apparent  certainty  of  death,  or  through  the  awak- 
ening influences  of  the  hoi y  Spirit,  or  by  any  other  means, 
wicked  men  are  rendered  attentive  to  the  Gcfpel  Revela- 
tion,  and  folicitous  about  their  eternal  interefl  ;    yet  if 
upon  a  nearer  view  of  things,  their  native  diflike  to  God's 


I52  THE   NATURE  OF  [sEC.  X. 

holy  law,  takes  occafion  to  arifc  and  ferment,  it  may  finally 
and  forever  keep  them  biind  to  the  giory  of  the  Gofpel  of 
Chrift.  And  all  ch.ir  ftudy  and  pains  may  only  lead  them 
into  I  s  oi'fecret  fcepticifm,  where  many  pro- 

fefled  Chi  it  and  are  loit  :   not  knowing  what 

they  arc,  ore   they  are,  nor  what  to  believe,    nor 

.  to  expect  :  but  arc  at  a  total  uncertainty  about 
everv  thing  themfejves,  Lnd  imagine  it  entirely  owing 
to  wan:  or  thought,  that  all  mankind  are  not  as  much 
puz^lc-d  as  they  be.  While  others  are  driven  by  their 
prejudices  agiinil  the  divine  Law  and  glorious  Gof- 
pel  into  open  Infidelity,  not  in  the  ieaft  fuipecling  that  the 
fault  is  in  themfelves.  While  others  of  juit  the  lame  tem- 
per, through  falfe  and  delufive  joys,  from  a  groundlefs 
periuafion  of  God's  love  to  them,  profefs  the  greateil  zeal 
for  the  Gofpel,  which,  at  the  fame  time,  rightly  underftood, 
they  difbelieve  and  hate  with  all  their  hearts. 

If  a  man  begins  to  ftudy  the  Bible,  he  will  foon  find, 
that  according  to  that  book,  all  mankind  are  naturally 
under  a  law  which  requires  perfect  obedience  on  pain  of 
eternal  death  ;  and  that  this  law,  by  which  all  mankind 
(land  guilty  before  God,  is  efteemed  holy,  juit  and  good: 
and  that  it  was  in  this  view  God  gave  his  Son  to  die  in  our 
fteiid  ;  to  be  made  a  curfe  to  redeem  us  from  its  curfe. — 
But  how  blind  mufta  man  be  to  the  wifdom  of  God  in  the 
death  of  his  Son,  to  whom  the  divine  law  appears  fo  far 
from  deferving  fuch  high  honour,  as  rather  to  be  a  blemilh 
in  the  divine  Character,  that  ever  God  made  it.  And 
how  mocked,  Humbled  and  confounded,  muft  fuch  a  man 
be  at  the  croTs  of  Chrift? — Unlefs  fome  cunning  way  can 
be  contrived  to  delude  one's  felf.  "  He  died  for  mc,"  fays 
one,  u  even  for  rue  in  particular;  and  I  verily  believe  I 
fhall  have  life  and  fulvation  by  him."  And  thus  all  diffi- 
culties are  folvcd  in  a  moment.  For  if  he  is  fafe,  he  cares 
net  how.  If  he  is  freed  from  the  curfe,  he  is  content  the 
law  mould  be  reputed  holy,  juft  and  good.  Although  in 
any  other  view  he  cannot  think  of  it,  without  hatred  and 
heart-rifings. — "  He  died  to  purchafe  an  abatement  of  the 
law,"  fays  another.  Not  confidering  that  if  the  law  was 
before,  juft  what  it  ought  to  be,  holy,  juft  and  good,  it 
needed  no  abatement.  And  if  the  law  was  not  fo  good  as 
it  might  have  been,  the  abfolute  perfection  of  the  divine 
Nature  would  have  effectually  moved  the  Deity  to  bring  it 


SEC.  X.]  SPIRITUAL    BLINDNESS.  153 

to  be  perfectly  holy,  juft  and  good,  nor  was  any  Medlatoi 
needed  in  the  cafe. — **  Bat  furely,"  fays  the  benighted 
foul  whom  the  Gcd  of  this  world  hath  blinded,  '*  if  1  do  as 
well  as  I  can,  1  iliall  be  faved.  For  it  cannot  be  juit  to  require 
of  me  more  than  i  "  can  do,  and  then  damn  me  for  not  do- 
ing. "  O  Sinner,  if  you  have  a  heart  to  do  all,  that  in 
reafon  you  ought  to  do,  to  recommend  you  to  the  divine 
favour,  do  it  :  and  you  ihall  live.  But  then  remember, 
there  is  no  occafion,  that  Chrift  ihould  do  any  thing  for 
you.  You  will  have  done  enough  for  yourfelf.  And  fo 
Chrift  is  dead  in  vain,  and  Chriitianity  is  overthrown. 

"  But/'  fays  the  Sinner,  and  in  what  he  fays,  he  difcoveri 
how  blind  he  is,  how  far  from  feeing  the  beauty  of  the  di- 
vine nature  as  it  mines  in  the  law  and  the  Gofpel,  and  in 
all  the  divine  difpenfations  toward  mankind  from  the  be- 
ginning and  how  far  from  believing  with  all   his  heart 
and  acquiefcing  with  all  his  foul  in  the  Golpel  way  of  fal- 
vation  through  the  blood  of  Chrilc,  how  loath  to  take  that 
blame  to  himfelf  which  belongs  to  him,  and  how  ready  to 
impute  iniquity  to  his  Maker. — u  But,"  fays  the  Sinner, 
"  if  no  doings  of  mine  will  intitle  me  to  life,  if  the  law 
I  am  under  requires  more  than  I  can  do,  and  damns  me  for 
the  leaft  failing ;  then  I  am  in  an  undone  ftate  in  fpite   of 
my  utmoft  efforts.     And  where  is  the  jullice  of  this  ?  Or 
how  is  this  confident  with  the  goodnefs  of  the  divine  Na- 
ture ?  For  God  to  bring  me  into  a  ilate  of  being  worfe  than 
not  to  be,  and  then  to  hold  himfelf  unobliged  to  grant  me 
any  relief,  at  liberty  to  have  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy  !  O  that  I  had  never  been  born  !  or  that  I  could  now 
ceafe  to  be  !    O  why  has  God  thus  dealt  with  me?    Did  I 
fin  and  fall  in  Adam?  Nay,  I  never  chofe  him  to  be  my 
reprefentative.     It  was  he  that  eat    the    forbidden    fruit 
and  not  I,   and  that  thoufands    of  years    before    I    was 
born."  (i)     So  that  it  appears  to  him,  that  the  whole  of 
the  divine  conduct  toward    him    has   been    hard,    unjuft, 
and  injurious.  And  Satan,  the  God  of  this  World,  delights 
to  hold  him  bound  down  under  this  blindi-efs,  that  the 
light  of  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  Chrift  may  never  fhine  into 
his  heart  j  but  rather,  that  as  the  Ifraelites  provoked  God 

(l)    See  Mr.  Edwards   on  Original  Bin,  for  the  fclution  tf 
difficulties  relative  to  that  dotinne. 

V 


154  TllL   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  X. 

togive  them  upby  their  murmurings ;  (Num.  xiv.)  fo  it  may 
come  to  pafs  in  this  cafe.  And  fo  he  become  more  and 
more  irritated  ag^inil  the  divine  Majefty  ;  'till  led  by  Satan , 
he  may  grow  bold  to  catch  hold  of  lome  falfe  comfort,  or  to 
deny  ihut  there  is  any  fuch  God,  or  Law,  or  Gofpel,  and 
fo  get  eafe;  or  othervvife  fink  down  into  defpair,  and  an 
habitual  blafphemous  temper,  in  as  near  a  reiemblance  of 
the  Devil  as  he  can  bring  him ;  who  naturally  defires  that 
all  intelligences  may  think  as  ill  of  God  and  of  his  go- 
vernment, as  he  himfeif  does. — Or  it  may  anfwer  Satan's 
ends  in  fome  cafes  perhaps  as  well,  if  he  can  lead  one  to 
believe,  that  God  has  altered  his  mind,  has  judged  his  law 
too  fevere,  has  given  it  up,  has  appointed  his  Son,  to  die, 
and  by  his  death  to  eftablifh  a  milder  conftitution,  in  which 
we  are  not  obliged  cordially  to  approve  the  divine  law 
with  application  to  ourfelves,  and  look  only  to  free  Grace 
through  JefusChrift  ;  but  allowed  to  look  upon  the  law  as 
too  fevere,  and  upon  the  Gofpel  asdengned  in  our  favour, 
a  remedy  againft  that  feverity.  I  fay,  this  perhaps  may 
anfwer  the  Devil's  ends  as  well ;  for  on  this  icheme,  God's 
original  and  only  law  is  given  up  as  tyrannical ;  and  the 
gift  of  Chrift  to  die,  inftead  of  doing  honour  to  the  law, 
is  rather  an  acknowledgement  that  we  had  been  hardly 
dealt  with,  and  defigned  to  make  us  amends,  and  do  us 
juftice.  So  God,  juft  as  the  Devil  would  have  it,  muft  have 
pafled  for  a  tyrant,  had  he  not  given  up  his  law,  and  ap- 
pointed his  Son  to  die  for  us,  as  it  were  by  way  of  reftitution, 
to  make  us  amends  and  do  us  juftice. — This  is  the  charac- 
ter the  Devil,  that  avowed  enemy  to  God,  his  law  and 
government,  would  be  glad  to  fix  on  the  Almighty  ;  that 
his  own  expulfion  out  of  Heaven,  for  a  breach  of  the  di- 
vine law,  might  be  univerfally  looked  upon,  as  a  cruel, 
tyrannical  act,  through  all  God's  dominions;  and  it  come 
to  be  the  general  opinion,  that  God,  in  his  cafe  alio,  is 
obliged  in  juftice  to  grant  fome  relief.  Nor  can  any  thing 
fuit  the  Devil  better,  than  to  fee  Chriftian  Divines  grow 
zealous  to  prove,  that  his  punifhment,  confident  with  the 
divine  perfections,  cannot  be  eternal.  Could  he  bring  the 
whole  fyftem  to  be  of  this  mind,  and  had  he  power  funi- 
cient  on  his  fide,  we  may  ealUy  guefs,  what  a  grand  re- 
volution be  would  foon  make  in  the  empire  of  the  GREAT 
ETERNAL.  He  would  treat  God  the  Father,  as  the  Jews 
treated  God  the  Son,  and  from  the  fame  fpiiit.     But  the 


SEC.  X.]  SPIRITUAL   BLINDNESS.  155 

Throne  of  the  Almighty  is  eftablifhed  for  ever  and  ever: 
God  reigns,  and  will  for  ever  reign  :  and  blefled  be  his  glo- 
rious name  for  ever.   And  let  all  that  love  him,  fafrA**». 

It  is  plain  from  Scripture,  that  Satan,  who  was  once  an 
innocent  Being,  and  in  a  Hate  oi'  probation,  and  under  a 
law  which  threatened  eternal  deilruclion  to  the  breaker  or 
it,  and  who  for  his  fin  was  call  out  of  Heaven  and  doomed 
to  eternal  woes,  is  now  an  avowed  enemy  to  God  and  his 
government.  And  if  we  view  him,  as  the  God  of  this 
world,  at  the  head  of  the  powers  of  darknefi,  ruling  in  the 
children  of  difobedience,  his  attempts  to  dethrone  God  in 
the  hearts  of  men,  and  let  up  himfelf  in  his  Head,  and  his 
great  fuccefs,  may  be  feen  in  the  untverfal  ignorance  of 
God,  and  wide  fpfead  of  idolatry  among  all  naions  of  the 
Earth  through  a  long  fuccefTion  of  age:-.  Nor  could  the 
thunder  of  Mount  Sinai  prevent  Ifrael  from  making  a  calf, 
nor  all  God's  mighty  works,  nor  the  warnings  and  tears 
of  his  prophets  keep  idols  out  of  the  holy  land  ;  but  from 
time  to  time  they  were  eager  to  adopt  the  Gods  and  the 
religious  worfhip  of  the  Heathen.  And  what  that  was 
the  Apoftle  tells  us.  i  Cor.  x.  20.  The  things  which  ibt 
Gentiles  facrijice,   t!:cy  Luvijice  to  Dentils  end  t;ot  to  God. 

Such  was  his  enmi:y  againit  the  molt  High — ?.nd  his 
hatred  of  the  divine  law  and  government  is  equally  mani- 
fci\,  in  all  the  methods  he  takes,  to  prejudice  mankind 
agair.ft  religion  in  general  :  And  particularly,  in  all  the 
methods  he  takes,  to  propagate  an  ill  idea  of  the  divine 
law,  through  the  Chriitian  world  ;  that  thereby  the  fpecial 
defign  of  Chriit's  death,  to  do  honour  to  it,  might  not  beat- 
tended  to, or  ifattended  to, the  gloryuf  the  dcfign  not  be  feen. 

And  all  this  ccnducl  of  Satan  may  be  eafily  accounted 
for.— Foe,  if  the  divine  law,  which  threatens  eternal  dam- 
nation to  the  tranfgreflbr,  is  holy,  jull  and  good,  then  the 
Cxpulfion  of  Satan  out  of  Heaven  for  his  fin,  was  a  righte- 
ous ad.  W  all  mankind  like  Ifrael  of  old,  who  when  tie 
curfe  of  the  law  was  twelve  times  pronounced,  twelve 
times  anfwered  amen  ;  I  fay,  if  all  mankind  mould  unite 
in  a  difpofition  underftandingly  to  pronounce  the  divine 
law,  holy,  juft  and  good,  they  would  therein  virtually,  as 
with  one  voice,  declare  for  God,  nnd  againft  Satan.  And 
the  juftice  of  his  punifhment,  being  thus  univerfally  ac- 
knowledged in  this  world,  where  he  claims  to  be  a  God, 
P     2 


156  THE  NATURE  DP  [SEC.  X. 

would  ungod  him,  and  turn  him  into  a  Devil,  and  put  him 
to  the  utmoft  coniuiion.  And  would  above  all  things  tend 
troy  his  influence,  and  bring  his  kingdom  to  ruin  ; 
pen  a  way  for  the  glory,  the  tranfeendent  glory  of 
the  Gofpeiof  Jefus  Chriit  to  be  feen  among  mankind.  The 
cenfequences  of  which  would  be  dreadful  to  the  caufe  of 
Satan  in  tne  world. 

For  only  think  a  moment,  what  the  confequences  muft 
be. — \i  the  law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  glorious  and  ami- 
wo.  thy  to  be  magnified  and  made  honourable — the 
Devil  is  juftly  damned.  It  was  a  glorious  and  praife-worthy 
act  in  the  Almighty,  a  beauty  in  his  Character,  for  which 
he  deferves  to  be  forever  loved  and  adored  through  his 
dominions,  to  doom  him  and  his  adherents  to  eternal  woe. 
A  fallen  iinful  world  too  are  juftly  doomed  to  death.  It 
a  God-like,  glorious  deed. — An  atonement  of  infinite 
..,  to  do  honour  to  the  Jaw,  and  fe:  fin  in  all  its  hor- 
1  ,  was  needed  j  that  God  might  fit  upon  a  throne  of  grace, 
ind  ye:  be  juft.  God's  giving  his  Son  to  die  was  a  moft 
.  us  airplay  of  all  the  divine  perfections — Chrift  cruci- 
fied, is  the  wifdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God — Satan 
is  a  liar. — All  thole  ill  thoughts  of  God  and  of  his  ways, 
which  our  wicked  hearts  are  naturally  inclined  to  fugged, 
and  which  Satan  loves  to  foment,  are  falfeand  blafphemous 
— and  the  holy  Scriptures  are  infallibly  the  Word  of  God  ; 
and  it  is  cur  duty  and  higheft  iniereft  to  repent  and  turn 
to  God  through  Jefus  Chrift. — And  if  this  mould  become 
the  general  fentiment,  Satan  would  foon  have  no  fubjecls 
left.  The  holy  Scriptures,  I  fay,  are  infallibly  the  Word 
of  God,  once  grant  the  law  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good. 

No  book  but  the  Bible  fets  God  fo  high,  brands  fin  with 
fuch  eternal  infamy,  and  fo  effectually  fecures  the  divine 
Authority.  And  pray,  who  was  the  author  of  this  book? 
Not  Satan,  I  daie  fay,  whofe  character  flands  condemned 
throughout,  and  who  hates  the  whole  genius  and  fpirit  of 
it,  with  all  his  heart.  Not  wicked  men,  who  cannot  bear 
with  it  although  proved  to  be  divine  by  mighty  works,  and 
figns  and  wonders.  Not  good  angels  nor  good  men,  who 
could  have  no  motive  thus  to  impofe  theirown  faying  on  man 
kind,  as  a  revelation  from  Heaven.  No  being  in  the  Univerfe 
could  be  the  author  of  the  Bible  but  God  himfelf — that  very 
law,  which  tempts  a  blind,  wicked  world  to  infidelity,  is  a 
full  proof,  that  God,  and  none  but  God,  could  be  its  author. 


SEC.  X.]  SPIRITUAL  BLINDNESS.  157 

And  how  void  of  any  real  weight,  yea,  how  impious, 
to  holy  beings  above,  in  whofe  eyes  the  divine  Character 
is  without  a  blemim,  perfect  in  beauty,  muit  our  grand 
objection  to  the  divine  law  appear  ?  "  /  have  no  heart  to 
love  the  Lord,  and  therefore  it  ought  not  to  be  required  oi 
me."  Which  if  we  would  be  honeft,  is  the  only  objection 
againft  the  divine  law,  we  have  to  make  in  this  ap'oitate 
World:  unlefs  we  will  impioufiy  fay,  "  that  he  is  not  in- 
finitely amiable  in  himieif,  i.  e.  is  not  an  abfolutely  perfect 
being,  i.  e.  is  not  God.  And  fo  does  not  deferve  iuch  fu- 
preme  refpecl  at  our  hands."  For  it  is  contrary  to  com- 
mon fenfe  to  fay,  that  it  is  difficult  to  love  a  perfectly  a- 
miable  chara&er,  which  perfectly  fuits  our  hearts.  And  it 
is  a  di&ate  of  common  ienfe,  that  the  more  amiable  a  be- 
ing is,  the  greater  is  our  obligation  to  love  him,  and  the 
greater  our  bLme  if  we  do  not.  And  fo  if  God  is  infinitely 
lovely,  our  obligation,  and  confeqnently  our  blame,  mult 
be  infinitely  great.  And  fo  the  penalty  of  the  law  is  ex- 
actly what  it  ought  to  be. 

"  But  we  have  loft  our  power  to  love  God  by  the  fall, 
and  it  is  a  dictate  of  common  i'enCe,  that  it  is  not  juft  to  re- 
quire more  of  us  than  we  can  do." — Pray  what  power  have 
we  loft?  Wicked  men  have  no  heart  to  love  God,  I  grant. 
This  is  that,  in  which  their  wicked nefs  connits,  they  would 
no:  be  wicked  men  were  it  not  for  this.  But  had  they  an 
heai  t  to  love  him,  it  would  bean  eafv,  Aveet  delightful  thing. 
We  never  complain  of  want  of  pover  to  love  the  world. 
'Tis  eafy  to  love  the  world.  And  why  ?  Becaufe  the  world 
is  really  more  lovely  than  God  ?  No,  rather  becaufe  we 
have  an  heart  to  love  the  world,  but  no  heart  to  iove  God. 
The  world  fuits  our  hearts,  but  God  does  not.  Now, 
can  our  having  no  heart  to  love  God,  free  us  from  our 
obligation,  or  ieflen  our  blame  ?  I  appeal  to  common  fenfe. 
Am  1  a  father;  1  expect  my  child  will  love,  honour  and 
obey  me.  Am  I  a  matter;  1  expect  to  be  regarded  as 
fuch.  Should  my  child,  mould  my  fervant,  plead  and  fay, 
"  I  have  no  heart,"  I  mould  j adge  him  to  blame  and  wor- 
thy of  punimment  for  that  very  thing.  Mai.  i.  6.  A fon 
banoureth  his  father  and  a  Servant  bis  mafler  j  if  t  then  le  a 
father,  where  is  mine  honour?  And  if  1  be  a  mafter,  where 
is  my  fear  ?  Jaith  the  Lord  of  Hofts. — Or  {hall  we  fay,  The 
<worfe  me. i  grow,  the  lejs  to  blame  they  be.  A  maxim,  the 
P  3 


I58  THE   NATURE  OF  SEC.  X. 

Devil  himfeif  cannot  but  know  to  be  falfe,  how  glad  foever 
he  might  be,  for  the  hike  of  his  own  character,  to  have  it 
pa's  fur  true. —  Behdes,  this  is  the  Scripture  account  of  the 
matter. — For, 

When  God  of  old  required  the  Ifraelites  to  love  him 
with  all  their  hearts,  ana  to  ferve  him  widi  all  their  fouls; 
and  they  appeared  fo  forward  to  engage  it  ;  God  who 
Fully  knew  what  they  were,  and  the  only  difficulty  there 
was  in  the  way  of  their  yielding  an  entire  obedience  to  his 
law,  breaks  out  in  this  very  expreffive  language,  Deut.  v. 
28,  29.  1  have  beard  the  voice  of  tt.e  words  of  this  people, 
111  bid.'  the}  have fpoken  unio  thee  :  they  have  well faid  ull  (hut 
they  havefpeken :  o  that  there  were  such  an  heart 
in  them.  As  if  he  had  laid,  "Then  there  would  be  no 
difficulty:  and  their  promifes  might  be  trufted."  But  as 
the  Pfalmift  declares,  Pfa1.  Ixxviii.  37.  Their  heart  was  not 
right  with  him:  neither  were  they  Jiedfajl  in  his  covenant. — 
And  again,  Pi'al.  lxxxi.  11,  12.  V\y  people  would  not 
hearken  to  my  voice  J  and  Ijrael  would  none  of  me  :  So  1  gave 
them  up — In  a  word, 

The  fault  is  in  our  hearts,  or  the  divine  Character;  for 
it  can  be  no  where  elfe — to  fay,  the  fault  is  not  in, us;  is 
to  fay,  tiisr  it  is  in  God.  To  fay,  that  our  blindnefs  to 
the  divine  Glory  is  not  criminal;  is  to  fay,  that  there  is  no 
glory  in  the  divine  Nature.  And  whatever  we  plead  for 
our  justification,  is  implicitly  to  God's  condemnation.  For 
it  is  a  plain  cafe,  that  the  jews  could  alledge  nothing  to 
jufhfy  their  dif.e'ilh  to  the  character  of  Jefus  Chrift,  but 
what  would  be  of  the  nature  of  a  reflection  upon  that  cha- 
racter. For  if  his  character  was  good  and  amiable,  they 
were  to  blame  in  not  being  flruck  with  its  beauty. 

To  fay,  that  we  3re  dead  in  fin,  by  way  of  excufe  ;  is  to 
fay,  that  iin  is  not  fin.  For  if  fin  is  fin,  then  to  be  dead 
in  fin,  is  the  greater  fin.  That  is, to  be  wholly  under  the 
power  of  fin,  is  more  criminal  than  to  be  but  partly  under 
its  power.  Otherwife,  Sin  is  no  more  fin.  For  if  the 
more  fmful  we  be,  the  lefs  to  blame  we  are,  then  fin  is  no 
more  fin.  It  has  changed  its  nature;  and  become  an  in- 
nocent thing. 

Let  the  matter  be  ftricYiy  examined,  and  it  will  be  found, 
that  Spiritual  Blindnefs,  which  has  been  thought  rather  a 
calamity  than  a  vice,  is  really  as  much  of  a  criminal  na- 
ture, as  any  kind  cf  fin  we  can  think  of.     It  contains  in  it 


SEC.  X.  SPIRITUAL  BLINDNESS.  159 

all  kinds  of  wickednefs  in  embryo.  It  is  itfelf,  an  aver- 
iion  to  all  good.  Its  feat  is  in  the  heart.  It  is  not  owing 
to  the  fmallnefs  of  our  natural  capacities  ;  for  Satan,  who 
is  a  being  of  great  abilities,  and  of  a  fine  genius*  is  as  blind 
to  the  beauty  of  divine  things,  as  the  n&oft  Rapid  Sinner 
in  the  world.  It  is  not  owing  to  the  want  or  external 
inftruction  :  for  Judas  had  as  much  of  that  as  Peter.  It  is 
not  owinj.;  to  the  terrors  of  the  law  and  the  fears  of  Hell, 
and  doubting  of  the  love  of  God;  for  the  Pharifees,  who 
were  in  full  exptcUtion  of  eternal  glory,  were  but  the 
blinder  for  it.  No  :  rather  it  is  ti-.e  very  fpirit  of  an  a- 
pofhte  creature,  to  be  blind  to  the  beauty  <}f  the  divine  Na- 
ture. It  is  the  beginning  of  our  diiafvection  to  God,  and 
it  increaies  as  our  aiiafrection  increales.  It  is  the  darknefs 
of  the  Frir.ce  of  Darknefs-,  of  the  fame  nature  with  his 
blindnefs.  It  is  that  which  gives  the  Prince  of  Darknefs 
his  chief  power  over  us,  to  make  us  think  and  feel  and  act 
as  he  would  have  us.  It  is  that  which  confritutes  us  mem- 
bers of  the  kingdom  of  Darknefs,  and  piepares  us  volun- 
tarily and  of  free  choice  to  walk  according  to  the  courie 
of  this  World,  according  to  the  Prince  of  the  Power  of 
the  air.  It  makes  us  full  proof  againft  the  cleareit  exter- 
nal manifestations  which  can  be  made  of  the  divine  Glory. 
Having  eyes,  we  fee  not;  and  having  ears,  we  hear  not; 
neither  do  we  underiland :  although  the  glories  of  the  God 
of  Glory  fhine  ail  around  us,  in  all  his  works,  and  in  all 
his  ways ;  even  fo,  that  in  the  view  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Heaven,   the  whole  Earth  is  full  of  his  glory. 

To  fay,  that  Spiritual  Blindnefs  is  no  crime,  is  in  effect 
to  affirm,  that  there  is  no  beauty  in  the  divine  Nature. — 
Which  to  afieit,  is  fubverfive  of  a!i  Religion,  natural  and 
revealed. 

To  acknowledge,  that  Spiritual  Blindnefs  is  a  crime,  is 
to  own  it  to  be  a  breach  of  that  law,  which  requires  us  to 
love  God  with  all  our  hearts,  on  pain  of  eternal  woe.  It 
is  therefore  to  own  it  to  be  a  crime  infinitely  blame-wor- 
thy, and  for  which  the  eternal  pains  of  Hell  are  juftly  due; 
for  every  breach  of  that  law  is  fuch.  And  this,  beyond  all 
doubt,  is  the  very  truth  of  the  cafe. 

But  if  Spiritual  Elindnefs  be  thus  criminal,  no  mercy  can 
be  expected  from  God,  in  the  cafe,  on  the  foot  of  the  law. 
So  far  from  it,  that  if  he  deals  with  us  merely  according  to 
flrict  juftice,  and  renders  to  us  according  to  our  defert,  he 


l60  THE  NATURE  OF  SEC.  X- 

mull  punifh  us  with  eternal  damnation  for  it.  So  far,  fo 
very  fir,  is  Goo  from  being  obliged  to  grant  us  the  en- 
lightening influences  of  hi^  Holy  Spirit.  As  the  gift  of 
his  "-on,  to  be  a  Redeemer,  was  an  act  of  the  freeft  grace 
to  a  revolt- a.  guilty  world  ;  fo  the  ^ift  of  his  Spirit,  to  be 
an  Enliehtener,  is  an  aft  o;  grace  equally  tree.  He  paf- 
i'cd  by  the  finning  Angels,  and  did  nor  give  his  Son  to  die 
for  them  ;  and  lie  is  at  liberty  among  the  fons  cf  men,  to 
pais  by  whom  he  pleafes,  as  to  the  gift  of  his  Spirit.  And 
in  this  affair,  he  actually  doth  have  mercy,  on  inborn  be  <ivill 
have  mercy.  The  Elect  obtain,  and  the  reji  are  blinded. — 
And  his  conduct  is  plainly  vindicable,  once  granting,  that 
our  blindnefs  is  our  fin  ;  and  that  God  might  juirly  have 
halo  all  mankind  bound  by  law,  and  never  provided  relief 
of  any  kind.  And  if  we  affirm,  that  God  could  not  juitly 
have  held  all  mankind  bound  by  law,  but  was  obliged  to 
provide  relief,  the  whole  Gofpel,  which  claims  to  be  of 
mere  grace,  is  overthrown.  We  muft,  then,  own  the  law 
to  be  good,  and  our  blindnefs  to  be  our  crime,  and  God 
at  liberty  to  relieve  us  or  not,  according  to  the  good  plea- 
fure  of  his  will,  or  turn  Infidels — or,  which  is  as  bad,  be 
inconfiflent,  and  fo  felf-condemned,  as  Kereticks,  after  two 
admonitions,  were  wont  to  be,  in  the  Apcfioiic  age. 


SECTION    XI. 

The  Nature  of  Divine  Illumination. 

A  S  the  Gofpel  is  bid  to  them  that  are  loft  ;  and  as  all  who 
believe  not,  are  blind  to  its  glories  ;  fo  on  the  other 
hand,  all  true  Saints  fee  its  glory.  The  light  of  the  glorious 
Gofpel  of  J  ejus  Chrift ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  Jhines  unto 
them.  The  light  cf  the  knowledge  cf  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  J  ejus  Cbrijl  pines  in  their  hearts.  And  beholding  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  they  are  changed  into  the  fame  image,  from 
glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  Thus  the  mat- 
ter is  expxelTcd  in  the  unerring  oracles  of  truth.  But — 
What  is  the  glory  fec-n  ? — How  is  it  feen  ? — What  is  the 
nature  of  the  fight? — And  why  is  it  reprefented  to  be  pe- 
culiar to  the  faved  ? — And  wherein  does  it  differ  from  what 
Hnregenerate  men  may  experience  ? 


SEC.  XI.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  l6l 

I.  The  glory  Teen  is  divine  glory.  It  is  the  beauty 
and  amiablenefs  of  God's  moral  character,  on  the  account 
of  which,  the  Deity  is  infinitely  lovely  in  himfelf. — It  is 
the  glory  of  God's  moral  perfections,  which  renders  him 
the  fup.-eme  delight  of  Angels  and  Saints.  The  Apoltle 
exprefsly  calls  it,  The  glory  of  the  Lord.  And  again,  the 
glory  of  God.  It  is  the  very  glory  and  beauty  of  the  di- 
vine Nature  itfelf:  a  glory  as  peculiar  to  God,  as  his  own 
Divinity  is.  Yea,  it  is  the  brightnefs  of  the  very  Divinity 
itfelf.  So,  that  lie  who  hath  feeu  this  Glory,  hath,  in  the 
language  of  Scripture, y^  God.  Math,  v.  8.  and  known  God, 
Joh.  xvii.  3.  i  }oa.  ii.  4.  and  confcquently  is  able  todiftin- 
guifh  between  the  trueGod,and  all  other  beings,  real  or  ima- 
ginary :  as  he,  who  hath  feen  the  natural  JSun,  can  dirtin- 
guifh  it  from  a  glow  worm.  In  reference  to  this,  therefore, 
all  true  Saints  are  fpoken  of  in  Scripture,  as  having  an 
uncJion  from  the  holy  One,  whereby  they  know  all  things.  (1 
Joh.  ii.  20.)  becauie  he  who  rightly  fees  God,  as  he  has 
manifested  himfelf  in  the  Gofpd,  does  virtually  know  the 
whole  of  Chriilianity  ;  yea,  the  whole  of  divine  revela- 
tion. And  therefore  it  is  added  by  the  Apoille,  ver.  27. 
And  ye  need  ?iot  that  any  man  teach  you,  but  the  fame  anoint- 
ing teacheth you  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie.  And 
on  this  account,  it  is  reprefented,  as  impofiible,  that  fuch 
fhouli  be  feduced  by  the  mofc  artful  Hereticks,  to  imbibe 
that  fa  lie  idea  of  God,  which  is  the  fpirit,  life,  and  foul 
of  all  their  falfe  fchemes  of  Religion.  For  as  this  anoint- 
ing hath  taught  you, ye  Jhall  abide  in  him.  And  therefore, 
it  is  reprefented,  as  being  impojfible  the  elect  Jhould  be  deceived. 
(Math.  xxiv.  24)  while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  declared, 
that  all  that  dwell  upon  the  Earth  foall  worjhip  the  beaft, 
whofe  names  are  not  written  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life.  Rev. 
xiii.  8, — Thus  the  glory  feen  is  the  brightnefs,  beauty, 
amiablenefs  of  God's  true  and  real  character,  as  exhibited 
to  view  on  the  crofs  of  Chrifl.(i) But, 

(1)  What  that  Characler  of  Gcd  is,  which  is  exhibited  to 
<view  on  the  crofs  of  Chrifi,  and  what  is  implied  in  its  being 
glorious,  has  been  already  jhewn.  God  our  Creator  was  in 
himfelf  infinitely  worthy  of  our  fupreme  lone  ;  and  jo  his  law 
which  required  this  on  pain  of  eternal  death,  was  a  glorious 
Jaw  ;  and  fo  it  was  a  glorious  thing  in  God  to  gi-ve  his  Son  to 
die  to  do  it  honour,  to  declare  his  righteoufnefs  that  he  might 


l62  THE  NATURE  OF  [SEC.  XI. 

II.  How  is  this  glcry  feen  ? — This  fight  of  the  glory  of 
God  is  no  abftract  metaphyseal  idea,  hatched  in  the  fancy 
©f  philofophic,  fpeculative  men :  Far  from  it.  Not  many  wife 
men,  not  many  learned,  fays  the  Apo/lle,  but  tbefcclijh  things  of 
this  Wold  hath  be  called.  Nor  is  it  any  thing  irrational  and 
\'ifionary,  the  fruit  of  the  teeming  imagination  of  melan- 
choly fouls.  No  it  is  perfectly  rational,  and  divinely  no- 
ble. It  is  not  feen  by  the  eyes  of  the  body,  nor  is  it  feen 
by  the  imagination,  nor  is  it  feen  by  the  force  of  a  pene- 
trating genius.  Flejh  and  blood  hath  net  revealed  it  unto 
thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  Heavtn.  It  is  often  hid  from 
the  wife  and  prudent,  and  revealed  to  babes.  A  poor  illite- 
rate fifherman,  divinely  enlightened,  might  fee  it,  with  as 
much  eafe,  as  he  could  behold  the  glory  of  the  fun  min- 
ing in  its  ftrength.  All  true  Saints,  in  the  Apoftolic 
2ge,  faw  this  divine  glory,  how  mean  foever  their  birth, 
how  low  foever  their  genius,  as  St.  Paul  affirms.  We  all 
i:ith  open  face \  beholding  as  in  a  glafs  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

But  how  did  they  fee  it? — Pray  tell  me — how  is  the 
beauty  of  any  character  feen  among  men  ? — Univerfal  ex- 
perience teaches  us,  that  characters  appear  agreeable  or 
difagreeable,  juft  as  they  fuit  bur  taile  or  net.  To  an 
Angel,  who  has  a  taile  for  holy  beauty,  God's  mornl  cha- 
racter appears  infinitely  amiable  ;  but  to  the  Devil  who  is 
a  being  of  a  contrary  tafle,  God's  moral  character  appears 
jufr  the  reverfe.  To  the  Pharifees,  no  character  more  odi- 
ous, than  that  of  Jefus  Chrilt,  but  at  the  fame  time,  Mar- 
tha, Mary  and  Lazarus  were  charmed  with  this  man.  To 
the  Jewil'h  Bati  n  in  general,  who  groaned  under  the  Ro- 
man yoke,  and  longed  for  a  Mefliah  to  let  them  at  liberty, 
to  make  them  victorious,  rich  and  hchourable  ;  a  Mefliah 
in  the  character  of  a  temporal  prince,  even  fuch  an  one  as 

be  juft,  and  yet  juftify  him  that  believeth  in  Jefus.  And 
therefore  to  fee  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Chrijt,  implies  a 
fght  cf  the  glory  cf  God  as  Creator  and  Law-giver,  and  of 
the  glory  of  his  law  :  for  Chrijl  on  the  crofs  dying  to  do  honour 
to  the  laiv  is  glorious,  onl\  on  fuppeftion  the  law  was  a  glori- 
ous law,  and  worthy  of  this  honour  :  as  has  been  already 
proved.  Thefe  things  arc  hinted  now,  that  the  may  be  kept  con- 
fantly  in  the  reader 's  view. — Becaufeihere  arc  falje  Chrijl s, 
and  falje  Gofpels,  and  falfe  Glories,  with  which  multitudes 
are  deluded. 


SEC.  XI.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  163 

they  expected,  would  have  fuited  their  hearts  to  perfec- 
tion, and  fo  have  naturally  appeared  a  glorious  MciTiah. — 
And  the  news  of  his  coming,  of  his  victories,  and  of  his 
rifing,  fpreading  kingdom,  would  have  been  glorious  news. 
Such  a  Gotpel  would  have  been  received  among  them  as  a 
glorious  Goipel ;  there  would  have  been  no  vail  on  their 
hearts  ;  none  would  have  been  blind  to  its  beauties  ;  nor 
would  its  glories  have  been  hid  from  any  :  But  rather  the 
carnal  jews  in  a  body  beholding  in  this  Meftiah  the  great- 
er! wordly  glory,  would  have  been  ch?nged  into  thefame 
image,  had  every  anfwerable  affection  excited  in  their 
hearts.  Had  he  thus  come  to  his  own,  his  own  would  have 
received  him  with  all  their  hearts,  joyfully  inlifted  under 
his  banner,  and  followed  him  to  battles,  to  victories,  to 
univerfal  empire,  the  very  thing  their  hearts  defired.  But  at 
the  fame  time,  a  Meffiah  of  fuch  a  charadcr  as  this,  would 
have  charmed  them  ;  the  character  of  Jefus  of  Nazareth 
(hocked  them  to  the  lalt  degree.  Hre  preach  Cbrijl  crucified, 
to  the  "Jeivs  a  jlumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks •  foolijbnefs  ; 
but  to  them  that  are  called,  Chrifi  the  poixer  of  God,  and  the 
nvifdom  of  God.  Thus  differently,  to  pcrfons  of  different 
taites,  did  the  fame  character  appear,  for  the  carnal  mind  fa- 
vours earthly  things,  but  the  fpiritual  mind  the  things  which 
be  of  God.  For  that  which  is  horn  of  the  fie  fib,  is  fie/b,  and 
J  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  Spirit.  In  regeneration 
there  is  a  new,  divine,  and  holy  talte  and  relifh  begotten 
in  the  heart,  by  the  immediate  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  And  thus  God  opens  our  eyes  j  and  thus  God  Jhines 
in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Jefus  Gkrtfi,  Or,  as  the  fame  thing  is 
expreiTed  in  different  language,  thus  God  gives  them  an 
heart  to  know  the  Lord,  and  thus  he  circumaj'cs  their  hearts  t» 
love  the  Lord  ;  gives  them  eyes  to  fee,  and  ears  to  hear,  and 

an  heart  to  underfiand. For 

Spiritual  Blindnels  is  not  owing  to  the  want  of  a  pene- 
trating genius,  or  to  want  of  doctrinal  knowledge  ;  for  the 
Devil  hath  both  thefe  to  a  great  degree,  but  ftill  is  as  blind 
to  the  beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  as  the  moil:  igno-ant 
Hottentot  in  Africa.  For  the  moral  character  of  the  Deity 
is,  above  all  things  in  the  Univerfe,  contrary  to  the  habi- 
tual temper  of  his  heart.  But  that  cannot  appear  lovely 
to  us,  which  every  bias  of  our  hearts  inclines  us  to  hate. 
But  Heaven  li3s  declared,    that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity 


164  THE   NATURE    OF  [stCXI. 

again/1  God.  And  the  fame  divine  Revehtion  hath,  in 
perfect  confidence,  as  exp.e.siy  declared,  .that  the  natural 
man  receipeth  net  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  for  they  are 
fooiijhnejf  unto  him  :  Neither  can  he  know  them,  becauje  they 
are  fpiritu.illj  dijeerned.  l>  it  in  o\.\cr  to  dilcern  fpiruually, 
nin  himfelt  mull  become  fpiritual.  That  is,  be  born 
Of  the  Spirit,  for  that  which  is  horn  of  the  Flejb,  is  Flejb, 
and  that  which  it  hern  cf  the  Spirit  is  Spirit. — And  if  Nico- 
demus  (aid,  how  can  thefe  things  be?  Yet  that  was  fo  far 
from  a  loiid  objection  againft  the  truth,  that  it  was  rather, 
an  illultration  of  it. 

That  the  idea  of  a  natural  beauty  fuppofes  an  internal 
fenle,  implanted  by  our  Creator,  by  which  the  mind  is 
capacitated  to  difcern  fuch  kind  of  beauty,  is  clearly  illuf- 
trated  and  proved,  by  a  late  ingenious  philofopher.  (1) 
And  that  the  idea  of  ipiritual  beauty  fuppofes  an  internal 
fpiritual  fenle,  communicated  to  the  foul  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  in  the  work  of  the  new  creation,  is  alfo  as  clearly 
illuitrated  and  proved,  by  a  late  Divine,  whofe  praife  is  in 
all  the  churches.  (2)  It  is  needlefs  therefore  at  prefent  to 
enter  farther  into  this  fubjeft. 

III.  As  to  the  fpecial  nature  of  this  kind  of  knowledge, 
which  the  Apcftle  calis  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God, 
it  is  different  from  every  fpecies  of  knowledge  in  the  Uni- 
verfe,  not  only,  as  it  is,  in  a  peculiar  fenle,  of  divine  ori- 
ginal ;  but  alfo,  as  it  is  in  itfelf,  of  a  divine  and  holy  Na- 
ture. To  fee  the  holy  beauty  of  God's  moral  Character, 
to  fee  the  beauty  of  holinefs,  to  have  holinefs  appear  beau- 
tiful and  feem  lovely  to  the  foul,  is  of  the  fame  nature  as 
to  love  holinefs  ;  but  to  love  holinefs,  is  holinefs  itfelf. — 
Among  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  of  old,  they  had  a  holy 
anointing  oil,  with  which  they  anointed,  and  by  which  they 
fandified  their  Tabernacle,  Altar,  Priefts,  &c.  Exod.  xl. 
This  was  the  type  ;  the  antitype  of  which  the  Apoftle 
thus  exprefies,  in  the  forecited  text,  as  that  which  is  com- 
mon to  all  true  Saints,  who  are  fpiritual  Priells,  confecrated 
to  offer  up  fpiritual  facrihees,  acceptable  to  God  by  Jefus 
Chrift.  I  Joh.  ii.  20.  Ye  have  an  unci ion  from  the  holy 
one,  and  ye  know  all  things.  Ver.  27.  The  anointing  teach- 
tthyou  of  all  things.  And  perhaps  the  fame  thing  is  referred 

(i)   Mr.  Hut  chin f on  y  on  Beauty  and  Virtue,  p.  8,  15. 
(2)   Mr.  Edwards,  on  Religious  Affections,  p.  158,  166. 


SEC.  XI.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  1^5 

to  in  Rev.  Hi.  18.  Anoint  thine  eyes  nuith  eye-falve  that  thou 
mayjl  jec.  It  is  ill  unftion  from  the  Holy  One,  an  holy  anoint- 
ing, an  holy  calling.  In  the  fame  degree  that  God  appears 
lovely  to  the  foul,  in  the  fa'ifte  degree  is  he  actually  loved. 
The  exercife  of  love  is  J  ,vavs  in  pioportion  to  the  degree  of 
oar  fenfe  of  the  divine  beauty,  for  beholding  the  glory  of 
the  Lord ,  lOi  are  changed  ititd  the  fame  i?nage.  The  arreCti- 
ons  excited,  are  anfw^-rable  to  the  views.  (1)  A  lenfe  cf 
the  di.'ine  lovelinefs,  if  we  may  fo  fpeak,  is  love  in  em- 
bryo :  Ellecm  of,  delight  and  complaifance  in  the  moral 
character  of  the  Deity,  is  love  in  internal  exercife  ;  a  life 
devoted  to  his  fervice,  to  advance  his  honour  and  interefl: 
in  the  world,  is  love  operating  in  good  works.  And  then, 
arc  ye  my  friends,  if  you  do  firfbeltfOpTJer  1  command yon.  But 
each  of  thefe  arc  plainly  of  the  fame  nature,  hciy  and  di- 
vine. And  each  are  equally  enjoined  as  matter  of  duty  in 
that  firlt  and  great  command,  Thou  jh ah  love  the  Lord  thy 
God,  with  all  thy  heart.  Therefore,  we  are  by  God  him- 
felf,  thus  called  upon,  C 'ire umcij'e  yourj "elves  to  the  Lord,  and 
take  away  the  forejkins  of  your  heart .  Jer.  iv.  9.  And  again, 
Make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  newfpirit.   Ezck.  xviii.  31. 

For,  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  whom  the  Gofpel  comes,  ta 
look  upon  it  as  a  glorious  Gcfpel,  and  to  have  their  hearts 
charmed  with  its  beauty.  To  be  blind  to  its  glory  is  cri- 
minal, as  was  before  fliewn  ;  and  to  fee  its  glory  is  for  the 

(l)  And  by  the  way,  this  may  Jheiv  the  difference  between 
a  rational  conviction  that  God  is  lovely,  avd  a  fenfe  of  his  lo<ve- 
linefs.  A  man  may  from  rational  argtimzr.ts  be  convinced  in 
his  confience,  that  God  is  lovely  ;  and  yet  have  no  fenfe  cf  his 
lovelinefs  in  his  heart,  nor  any  lore  to  him.  Satan  kkeib  in 
his  confeience,  thai  the  holy  characlcr  which  Gcd  gave  cf  Jcbf 
there  is  none  like  him  in  the  Eartii,  a  perfect  and  En  upright 
man,  was  an  amiable  characlcr  ;  but  this  char  a  Jer  was  fo  far 
from  exciting  love,  that  it  exciied  envy  and  hatred  in  his  /.cart. 
He  wijhed  to  be  able  to  prove  Job  an  hypocrite,  i.  e.  that  all 
his  love  to  Gcd,  arofe  merely  from j elf- love.  Doth  Job  fear 
God  for  nought.  Sc  a  wicked  man  rtiay  be  convinced  in  his 
confeience,  that  God  is  an  ami  able  SB  'ing  ;  and  yet  bejo  withed, 
as  that  he  cannot  bcxr  to  think  that  an}  Saint  on  Earth  loves 
God  for  his  own  lovelinefs.  slnd  the  reafon  may  be  learnt  from 
1  job.  Hi.   12. 


l66  THE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  XL 

fame  reafon,  a  duty.  And  therefore,  all  who  are  blind  to 
the  glory  of  the  Gofpel,  and  fo  difoelieve  and  reject  it,  are 
cxprcflly  threatened  with  eternal  damnation.  Butfuch  an  in- 
finite punifhment  fuppofes  the  crime  to  be  infinitely  great. 
The  infinite  greatneis  of  the  crime  fuppofes  we  are  under 
infinite  obligations  to  the  c  mtrary.  Tnat  is,  under  infinite 
obligations  to  look  upon  the  Gofpel  as  glorious,  and  cor- 
dially to  beline  and  embrace  it.  And  indeed  its  own  in- 
trinfick  infinite  beauty,  lays  us  under  infinite  obligations; 
and  not  10  eileera  what  is  fo  infinitely  worthy  of  our  efteem, 
111  u f l  be  infinitely  criminal. 

To  i\\y,  that  it  is  not  our  duty  to  look  upon  the  Gofpel 
of  Chi  ii:  a?  a  g'orious  Gofpel  ;  that  is,  to  lock  upon  the 
divine  perfections  therein  fo  clearly  manifefted,  as  glori- 
ous ;  is  to  fay,  that  we  a-e  not  obliged  to  look  upon  God 
himfelf,  as  a  glorious  Being,  when  let  in  the  cleared  light 
before  our  minds.  Which  is,  in  effect,  to  fay,  that  it  is 
not  our  duty  to  love  God.  Which  is  to  give  up  natural 
and  revealed  R-eligion  both  at  once.  And  to  pronounce 
the  deepeft  depravity,  perfectly  innocent. 

Had  mankind,  to  whom  the  Gofpel  comes,  a  genuine 
reliih  for  holy  beauty,  a  tafte  for  the  beauty  of  God's  true 
character,  they  would  naturally  difcern  the  glory  of  the 
glorious  Gofpel  of  Chrift,  who  is  the  image  of  God.  If 
they  knew  God  the  Father,  they  could  not  fail  to  know 
his  Son.  Had  mankind  as  high  a  relifli  for  divine  glory, 
as  they  have  for  the  glory  of  this  world,  the  glory  of  the 
Gofpel  would  ftrike  the  mind  as  naturally  as  the  glory  cf 
an  Earthly  kingdom  now  docs. 

Had  the  Jews,  for  inftance,  had  as  high  a  tafte  for  a  fpi- 
ritual  Median,  as  they  had  for  a  temporal  one,  Chrift  cru- 
cified would  as  naturally  have  appeared  glorious,  as  their 
expected  Meffiah,  a  temporal  prince,  was  wont  to  do,  in 
their  fond  imagination?.  Wre  have  no  inability  to  know 
and  love  God  and  Jefus  Chrift,  but  what  is  altogether  of  a 
criminal  narure.  And  therefore  our  Saviour's  conduct  may 
be  vindicated,  in  pronouncing  fuch  a  heavy  woe,  on  the 
inhabitants  of  Corazin,  Bethfaida  and  Capernaum,  becaufe 
thfty  repented  not.  For  if  the  fault  is  wholly  in  us,  it  is  no 
doubt  increafed,  a*  our  external  advantages  are  increafed. 
But, 

IV.  Why  is  this  kind  of  knowledge,  of  which  we  are 
fpeaking,  conftantly  represented  in  Scripture,  as  peculiar 


SEC.  XI. J  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  167 

to  tbefaved,  (1  Cor.  i.  18)  to  the  called,  (ver.  24)  to  ib* 
fpiritual,  (Chap.  ii.  14)  to  the  changed,  (2  Cor.  iii.  18)  to 
ihofe  who  believe,  (Chap.  iv.  4)  to  thofe  who  love  God  and 
keep  his  commands,  (1  Joh.  ii,  4)  and  who  have  eternal 
life,  (Joh.  xvii.  3)  and  why  is  it  affirmed,  that  ivbo/bever 
Jinneth,  hath  not  fee  n  him,  nor  knoavn  him  r  ( I  Joh.  iii.  6) — 
and  that,  he  that  doth  evil,  hath  not  feen  God  ?  (3  Joh.  2) 
and  of  every  natural  man,  without  exception,  neither  can  hi 
knovu  them  ?  (1  Cor.  ii.  14) — it  is,  in  a  word,  becau'fe  it 
implies  a  contradiction  that  it  mould  be  other. vife.  For 
this  kind  of  knowledge  and  its  eiFecls,  are  necelTarily  con- 
nected. And  this  kind  of  knowledge  cannot  exift  in  an 
unregenerate  mind.  For,  to  ufe  the  language  of  Scripture, 
that  which  is  born  cf  the  fiejh,  is  jlejh  ;  and  the  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  againit  God.  And  what  fellow  Blip  hath  light 
with  daiknefs  ?  Or  what  concord  is  there  between  fin  an  J 
holinefs  ?  Or  what  agreement  between  a  carnal  heait,  and 
that  character  which  it  is  at  enmity  againit  ?  Our  Saviour 
judged  it  implied  the  greateit  abfurdky,  that  Satan  fhould 
caft  out  Satan  ;  that  is,  that  Satan  fhould  be  againit  him- 
felf.  But  it  is  plainly  an  abfurdity  equally  great,  to  fup- 
pofe,  that  two  intelligent  Beings,  of  characters  as  diame- 
trically oppofite  as  fin  and  holinefs,  mould  relifh  each  o- 
thers  characters,  and  appear  amiable  in  each  others  eyes. 
Once  granting  that  fallen  man  is  totally  dead  in  fin, 
deiticute  of  the  lesft  fpark  of  fpirkual  life,  cf  the  leaft 
remainder  of  divine  relifh,  or  in  the  words  of  the  Apoitle, 
that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  e.gaivft  God  ;  (and  by  the 
carnal  ?nind,  he  declares  himfelf  to  mean  every  man  who  is 
deftitute  of  the  Spirit  of  Chrift.  Rom.  viii.  7,  8,  9.)  I  fay, 
once  granting  this,  and  it  is  certain,  and  is  even  capable 
of  flrict  demonilraticn,  from  the  nature  of  things,  that  a 
fenfe  of  the  amiablenefs  of  God's  true  and  real  character, 
mud  of  necrffi.y  be  peculiar  to  the  regenerate.  Falfe  no- 
tions of  God  may  raviih  an  unregenerate  heart,  but  his 
true  character  every  fuch  heart  is  in  fact  at  enmity  againft. 
Hence  the  Gofpel  will  be  hid  from  all  natural  men,  be 
they  Jews  or  Greeks,  however  wife,  however  pruden;, 
however  penetrating,  and  however  well  inilructed  ;  and 
that  even  while  fitting  under  the  miniftry  of  Chrift  himfelf, 
who  fpake  as  never  man  fpake  ;  and  notwithstanding  all 
the  preaching  of  his  infpired  Apoftles.     Thus  the  Scrip- 


168  THE  NATURE  OP  [sEC.  XI  • 

tures  affirm   that,  in  fact,  it  proved.     And  thus,  tiie  rcajbn 
of  the  thing,  {hews,  it  mull  forever  prove. 

It  implies  a  contradiction  to  fuppofe  the  human  heart 
mould  be  charmed  with  a  character  jufr  cprofue  to  us  own. 
And  nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  the  character  of  the 
holy  one  of  lirael,  is  diametrically  oppofiqe  to  the  tem- 
per cf  one  v.  i.o  is  qtite  deac  in  fin.  The  civine  Character, 
therefore,  mufl  be  altered  in  cur  imagination,  or  we,  in 
fact,  be  born  again,  or  God  can  never  appear  to  us  an  ami- 
able Being,  if  we  fuppofe  God's  character  altered  and 
mooted  to  our  tafte,  we  may  be  charmed  with  the 
fiction,  dead  in  fin  as  we  are.  But  the  clearer  view  a  car- 
nal  man  hat. Ji  of  $.he  truth,  the  more  certain  will  he  be,  that 
the  love  of  God  is  not  in  him.  Rom.  vii.  8,  9. 

It  is  true,  many  a  carnal  man  is  ravifned  to  think,  that 
G^d  loves  him,  and  will  fave  him  ;  but  in  this  cafe,  it  is 
s  true  character  of  God  which  charms  the  heart.  It 
u  nof.  God  that  is  loved,  Strictly  fpeaking,  he  only  loves 
If.  j'-vd  feii-Jeve  is  the  fource  of  all  his  afrecuens. 
G:  if  we  call  it  love  to  God  ;  it  is  of  no  other  kind  than 
dinners  fctl  to  one  another.  For  Sinners  love  thefe  that  /eve 
them.  The  carnal  Israelites,  who  gave  the  fulieft  proof  of 
their  difafVection  to  the  divine  character,  as  exhibited  by- 
God  himfelf  before  their  eyes,  yet  were  once  full' of  this 
kind  of  love  at  the  fide  of  the  Red  Sea.  Our  being  ravifned 
ever  fo  much  in  a  belief  God  loves  us,  is  no  fign  that  God's 
true  character  would  fuit  cur  tafie,  had  we  right  notions 
of  it.  The  hypocritical  Galatians  loved  Paul  while  they 
confidered  him  as  the  inftrument  of  their  converfion  and 
means  of  their  falvation  ;  but  on  further  acquaintance  with 
the  man,  they  turned  his  enemies,  for  his  character  rightly 
underftood  did  not  fuit  their  tafte. 

If  God  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity,  if  he 
cannot  look  upon  fin  but  with  infinite  deteftaticn,  if  all  thofe 
views,  affections,  thoughts,  words,  and  actions  which  are 
fweet  to  the  tafte  of  a  carnal  heart,  are  fo  infinitely  odious 
in  the  eyes  of  God,  as  to  appear  to  him  worthy  of  the  eternal 
pains  of  Hell,  as  is  in  fact  the  cafe;  (Gal.  iii.  10.)  it  is 
as  impoffible  that  a  carnal  heart  mould  fee  a  beauty  in  the 
divine  Character,  as  that  it  mould  view  its  own  character  as 
being  infinitely  odious.  For  one  implies  the  other.  If  it 
is  beautiful  in  God  to  be  affected  toward  my  character,  as 
in  fact  he  is,  my  character  mull  be  infinitely  odious :  Nor 


SEC.  XI.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  169 

can  I  at  any  time  from  the  heart  look  upon  God  as  a  lovely 
being,  without  locking  upon  myfelf  as  infinitely  hateful. 
For  that  being  whoie  nature  it  is,  to  look  upon  me  as  in- 
finitely odious,  is  not  lovely,  unlefs  I  am  in  fact  infinitely 
odious.  When  our  S  ivicur,  fpeaking  to  the  Pharilees,  iaid, 
Te  ferpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  hoxv  can  ye  ej'cape  the  dam- 
nation of  Hell?  Thefe  words  determined  his  character  in 
their  eyes.  And  it  implies  a  contradiction,  to  fuppofe,  that 
Chrift's  character  might  have  appeared  lovely  to  them, 
without  their  own  appearing  odious,  anfwerable  to  the  im- 
port of  his  words.  But  there  was  nothing  in  a  Phariiee's 
heart  to  lead  him  to  look  upon  his  own  character  in  fuch  an 
odious  light.  And  therefore,  all  our  Saviour's  declarations, 
and  all  his  miracles,  did  but  exafperate  them.  The  more 
the^y  knew  of  Chrift,  the  more  they  hated  him.  As  it  was 
natural  to  them  to  approve  of  their  own  character,  fo  ic 
was  natural  to  condemn  his.  For  if  the  fault  was  not  in 
them,  it  was  in  him.  To  fay  it  was  not  in  him,  was 
to  own,  that  they  were  ferpents  and  a  generation  of  vi- 
pers, worthy  of  eternal  dejlruction.  To  look  upon  him  as 
altogether  lovely,  was  to  look  upon  themfelves  as  innnitely 
odious.  Cut  this  was  diametrically  oppofite  to  every  bias 
in  their  hearts.  Their  old  heart,  therefore,  mull  be  taken 
away,  and  a  new  heart  be  given  them,  or  they  could  never 
view  things  in  this  light.  And  thus  our  Saviour  underftood 
the  matter.  And  therefore,  on  a  time,  fpeaking  to  a  Pha- 
rifee,   he  faid,  Except  a  man  be  born  again >  he  cannot  fee  thi 

kingdom  of  God. But 

V.  Wherein  does  this  peculiar  knowledge  of  Cod  differ, 
from  what  natural  men  have  actually  had  ?  or  might  have  ? 
If  they  may  have  all  knowledge  and  underft^.nd  alt  myfieriet, 
fo  as  to  fpeak  as  it  were  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels : 
(1  Cor.  xiii.)  if  they  may  be  enlightened  and  tafe  the  hea- 
venly gift :  (Keb.  vi)  if  they  may  receive  the  --word  with 
joy  :  (Mat.  xiii.)  if  they  may  e/cape  the  pollutions  of  the  world, 
through  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  J  ejus  Chrifl  : 
(2  Pet.  ii.  20.)  if  they  may  have  fuch  a  ravifhing  fenfe  of 
the  divine  goodnefs,  as  the  Ifraelites  had  at  the  Re4  Sea; 
and  fuch  an  affecting  fenfe  of  his  majeily,  greatnef?,  power, 
holinefs  and  juftice,  as  they  had  at  Mount  Sinai,  when  they 
flood  trembling  before  the  mountain,  and  were  fo  ready  to 
promifc,  whatfoever  the  Lord  our  God  Jhall  command,  that 

0-  3 


17©  THE   NATURE  OF  [SEC.  XI. 

•will  we  do,  and  be  obedient  ;  and  fuch  an  high  and  heart- 
abafing  fcnfe  of  the  mrji  high  God,  nvho  li-veth  for  ever,  as 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  when  hepraifed  and  extolled  and  honoured 
the  King  of  Heaven ,  all  ivho/e  averts  are  truth  ;  and  thofe 
that  walk  in  pride  he  is  able  t$  abafe,  (Dan.  iv.  34,  37.) — 
if  they  may  have  all  this,  what  is  it  they  cannot  have? 
I  anfwer,  in  one  word,  the  holy  beauty  of  God's  real  moral 
character,  this  is  what  they  never  had  the  leaft  idea  of.  The 
moil  enlightened,  afTccled,  the  devouteft  natural  man  that 
ever  lived,  as  to  this,  is  as  blind,  as  the  moft  ignorant, 
ftupid  Sinner  in  the  world. — That  this  is,  in  fa£t,  the  cafe, 
is  evident  from  this,  that  all  who  beheld  the  glory  of  God 
are  actually  changed  into  the  fame  image.  Which  was  not 
the  cafe  with  the  wicked  Israelites,  nor  with  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, nor  with  the  ftony  ground  hearers,  nor  with  thofe 
in  1  Cor.  xiii. — Keb.  vi. — 2  Pet.  ii. 

T»iit  as  the  nature  of  Divine  Illumination  is  fo  largely 
and  accurately  ftated  in  Mr.  Edward's  Treatife  on  Religious 
A  ffe&ions ;  and  his  Sermon  on  Jam.  ii.  19.  I  mail  refer 
the  reader  to  thefe  pieces;  and  proceed. 


SECTION    XII. 

The  Effetls  of  Divine  Illumination. 

A  VIEW  of  all  the  moral  perfections  of  God,  mining  in 
***■  their  brighter!  glory  in  the  Gofpel  way  of  faving  Sin- 
ners, exhibits  to  the  mind  an  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the 
Gofpel,  entirely  new,  which  never  itruck  the  mind  before. 
An  evidence  of  fuch  a  nature,  as  removes  all  thofe  natu- 
ral prejudices  agairfl  the  truth,  which  tended  to  keep 
the  mind  in  fufpence,  notwithstanding  all  the  external  proofs 
from  the  miracles,  prophecies,  &c.  and  an  evidence,  in  its 
own  nature,  the  moft  convincing,  and  fatisfying  ;  and 
whereby  the  whole  heart  is  gained,  and  brought  over  to  a 
full  and  thorough  belief  of  the  Gofpel.  So  that  now,  and 
not  till  now,  is  the  Gofpel  believed  to  be  true,  voith  all 
the  heart  ;  fo  as  to  induce  us  to  fell  all  for  the  pearl  of  great 
price,  and  from  the  heart  to  deny  ourfelve.%  take  up  our 
crofs  and  follow  Chrift  ;  venturing  cur  all  for  time  and  eter- 


SEC.  Xll]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  I7I 

nity,  upon  the  truth  of  his  Mefliafhip,  cf  his  divine  million, 
nd  of  the  news  which  he  has  brought  to  our  ears. 

When  the  Gofpel,  which  is  hid  from  all  natural  men, 
comes  to  be  revealed,  internally  revealed  to  us  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  all  its  divine  glories,  agreeable  vo  Mat.  xi.  25. 
—  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  chap.  iv.  6,  &c.  it  is  known  to  be  from 
God,  from  the  divinity  of  its  nature.  For  it  appears  to  be, 
what  the  Apoftlc's  words  import,  tie  Glorious  Go/pel  cfChrijl, 
nuho  is  the  image  of G:d.  2  Cor.  iv.  4..  And  to  uie  the  words 
of  a  late  writer,  "  He  that  truly  fees  the  divine,  tranicen- 
dent,  fupreme  glory  of  thole  things  which  are  divine,  does 
as  it  were  know  their  divinity  intuitively  ;  he  not  only  ar- 
gues, that  they  are  divine,  but  he  fees  that  they  are  divine; 
he  fees  that  in  them  wherein  divinity  chiefly  confiics:  For 
in  this  glory,  which  is  fo  vaitly  and  inexprcllibly  diftin- 
guiihed  from  all  other  glory,  does  mainly  confift  the  true 
notion  of  divinity  :  God  is  Gud;  and  distinguished  from  all 
other  beings,  and  exalted  above  them,  chiefly  by  his  divi- 
nity. They,  therefore,  that  fee  the  (lamp  of  this  divine 
glory  in  divine  things,  they  fee  divinity  in  them,  they  fee 
God  in  them,  and  fo  fee  them  to  be  divine  ;  becaufe  they 
fee  that  in  them  wherein  the  trueft  idea  of  divinity  does 
confift."  He  therefore  who  fees  the  glory  cf  the  glorious 
Gofpel  of  Chrift,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  muit  know 
Jefus  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  and  his  Gofpel  to  be  divine. 
For  he  mull  be  the  Son  of  him  whofe  image  he  bears,  and 
that  Gofpel  mult  be  from  God,  which  is,  in  its  own  nature, 
fo  Godlike. Befides  as  the  fame  author  adds, 

'*  This  fenfe  of  the  fpiritual  excellency  and  beauty  of 
divine  things,  does  alfo  tend  directly  to  convince  the  mind 
of  the  truth  of  the  Gofpel,  as  there  are  very  many  of  the 
moll  important  things  declared  in  the  Gofpel,  that  are  hid 
from  the  eyes  of  natural  men,  the  truth  of  which  does  in 
effect  confift  in  this  excellency,  or  does  fo  immediately 
depend  upon  it,  and  refult  from  it ;  that  in  this  excellency's 
being  fe.n,  the  truth  of  thofe  things  is  feen.  As  foon  as 
ever  the  eyes  are  opened  to  behold  the  holy  beauty  and  amia- 
blenefs  that  is  in  divine  things,  a  multitude  of  moil  im- 
portant doctrines  of  the  Gofpel,  that  depend  upon  it,  (which 
all  appear  llrange  and  dark  to  natural  men)  are  at  once 
feen  to  be  true.  As  for  inftance — men  by  feeing  the  true 
excellency  of  holinefs,  do  fee  the  glory  of  all  thofe  things 
which  reafon  and  Scripture  ihew  to  be  in  the  divine  Being, 


172'  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

And  hereby  they  fee  the  truth  of  all  that  the  Scripture  de- 
clares concerning  God's  glorious  excellency  and  Majefty, 
his  being  the  fountain  of  all  good,  the  only  happinefs  of  the 
creatuie,  Sec.  and  this  again,  fhews  the  mind  the  truth  of 
what  the  Scripture  teaches  concerning  the  evil  of  fin  againft 
fo  glorious  a  God  ;  and  alfo  what  the  Scripture  teaches 
concerning  fin's  jult  defert  of  that  dreadful  punifhment 
which  it  reveals;  and  alfo  concerning  the  impcflibility  of 
our  offering  any  fatisfaclion  or  fufficient  atonement  for  that 
which  is  infinitely  evil  and  heinous.  And  this  again  fhews 
the  truth  of  what  the  Gofpel  reveals  concerning  the  necef- 
fity  of  a  Saviour,  to  offer  an  atonement  of  infinite  value  for 
fin.  And  this  fenfe  of  fpiritual  beauty  enables  the  foul  to 
fee  the  glory  of  thofe  things  which  the  Gofpel  reveals 
concerning  the  perfen  of  Chart  ;  and  fo  enables  to  fee  the 
exceeding  beauty  and  dignity  of  his  perfon,  appearing  in 
what  the  Gofpel  exhibits  of  his  word,  works,  ac~ts  and  life: 
and  this  apprehenlion  of  the  fuperlative  dignity  of  his  per- 
fon, (hews  the  truth  of  what  the  Gofpel  declares  concern- 
ing the  value  of  his  blood  and  righteoufnefs,  and  fo  the 
infinite  excellency  of  that  offering  he  has  made  to  God  for 
us,  and  fo  its  furTiciency  to  atone  for  our  fins,  and  recom- 
mend us  to  God.  And  thus  the  Spirit  of  God  difcovers 
the  way  of  falvation  by  Chrift,  &c.  The  truth  of  all  thefe 
things  appears  to  the  foul  only  by  the  imparting  that  fpiri- 
tual tafte  of  divine  beauty  which  has  been  fpoken  of.  They 
being  hidden  things  to  the  foul  before."  Thus  far  this 
Author,  who  has  handled  this  fubjeel  at  large,  and  with 
greater  accuracy  than  I  have  feen  it  done  by  any  other 
Writer.  ( 1 ) 

And  agreeable  to  thefe  fentiments,  it  was  an  openly 
avowed  maxim  in  the  Apoftolic  age,  that  ivhofeever  believ- 
eth  that  Jefus  is  the  Cbnfl,  is  born  of  God.  I  Joh.  v.  1.  and 
they  every  where  publicly  declared,  that  if  thou  /halt  confefs 
woith  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jefus,  and  Jh alt  believe  in  thy  heart 
that  God  raifed  him  from  the  dead,  thou  pah  be  Jawed,  Rom. 
x.  9.  They  promifed  falvation  to  every  man,  who  with  all 
his  heart  believed  the  Gofpel  to  be  true,  and  threatened 
damnation  to  none  but  Infidels,  according  to  their  matter's 
commiflion.  Mar.  xvi.  15,  16.  Go  ye  into  all  the  voorld  and 
preach  the  Gofpel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believe th  and  is  bap- 

(1)  Mr.  Edwards,  on  Religious  JfecJicns,  p.  182,   199. 


SJEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  I73 

tized /hall  he faved  ;  but  >.e  that  believeth  not  jh  all  be  damned. 
Not  chat  ...  that  every  en?  \~ho  profeiied  to 

believe  the  Gofpei  with  all  his  heart,  really  did  Co.  They 
knew  there  might  be  a  pirual  and  ineffectual  conviction  of 
the  truth.  They  well  remembered  how  Ju„as  iieard  ail 
Chilli's  uifcuui-fes,  and  Taw  ail  his  miiacles,  and  prc'eiFed 
to  brieve  as  well  as  Peter,  and  how  he  turned  01  :  in  the 
end.  And  th^y  well  knew,  that  as  bo.h  were  under  equal 
external  advantages,  to  lee  all  the  external  evidences  of 
C'mit's  divine  million  ;  i'o  that  peculiar  kind  of  Faith, 
which  Peter  had,  was  entirely  the  reiuk  of  Divine  Illumi- 
nation, as  their  mailer  had  in  his  life  time  exprefdy  declar- 
ed. Fief  and  llcod  batb  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my 
Father  which  is  in  Heaven,  Mat.  xvii  17.  And  this  kind 
of  Faith,  they  called,  believing  with  all  the  heart,  and  af- 
ferted  it  to  be  peculiar  to  the  regenerate,  and  infallibly 
connected  with  eternal  life.  A  Faith,  in  its  own  nature, 
fpeciricaliy  different  from  the  faith  cf  Devils  and  of  wicked 
men,  who  are  all  equally  blind  to  the  glory  of  the  moral 
perfections  of"  the  Deity  mining  fo  brightly  in  the  glorious 
Gofpei  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

And  now,  when  the  Gofpei  is  underfiocd,  feen  in  its  glory , 
and  believed  with  all  the  heart,  it  immediately  begets  eve- 
ry anfvverable  affection  in  the  foul.  For  we  are  begotten 
through  the  Gofpei.  I  Cor.  iv.  15.  begotten  by  the  word  of 
truth.  Jam.  i.  18.  fanclifed  by  the  truth.  Joh.  xvii.  17.  and 
particularly  are  begotten  to  a  lively  hope  by  the  rcfurreclion  of 
Chrijl  from  the  dead.  I  Pet.  i  .  %.  while  the  glory  of  the 
Gofpei  is  hid,  it  produces  none  of  thefe  effects  upon  the 
foul.  For  if  our  Gofpei  is  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lofi. 
2  Cor.  iv.  3.  But  when  we  know  the  truth,  the  truth  makes 
us  free..  Joh.  viii.  32.  Or  in  the  language  of  St.  Paul,  lie 
ail  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glafs  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
are  changed  into  the  fame  image.  ( 1 ) 

(  I )  Some  of  the  above  texts  are  alledged  by  feme  writers  t§ 
prove,  that  a  belief  that  Chrijl  died  for  me  in  particular,  that 
my  fins  are  pardoned,  and  that  I /hall  befaved,  begets  every 
Chri/lian  grace.  And  this  is  all  the  regeneration  they  allovj 
of. — But  in  this  cafe  we  are  begotten,  not  by  the  truth,  ncr  by 
the  Gofpei ;  for  not  one  cf  thefe  particulars  are  therein  revealed. 
Tea,  a  man  may  be  full  of  religious  affetiiens  from  fuch  a 
belief,  and  yet  at  the  fame  time  look  upon  the  Gofpei of  Chrifi 


1/4  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [sEC.  XII. 

Sometimes,  in  the  Scripture,  the  effect  produced  by  the 
knov  ;e<.'pe  of  the  truth,  is  considered  and  fpcken  of  as  one 
thing,  and  every  holy  affection  is  fummed  up  under  one 
comprehenfive  name.  As,  the  image  of  God,  the  law  writ- 
ten in  the  heart ,  drift  formed  in  the  foul,  coming  to  God  by 
Cbrifl,  reconciliation  to  God  through  Chrijl,  &c.  At  other 
times,  there  are  a  great  variety  of  names  ufed  to  mark  out 
the  various  affections  excited  in  the  mind  by  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth  :  the  various  affections  toward  God,  and 
toward  Chrift,  and  toward  the  children  of  God,  and  to- 
wards mankind  in  general,  and  towards  relatives,  hufbands, 
wives,  parents,  children,  mafters,  fervants,  &c.  and  toward 
enemies,  and  toward  fin,  and  toward  ourfelves  conlidered 
as  Sinners,  and  toward  the  things  of  this  world*  and  cf-the 
world  to  come,  &c.  all  which  are  the  native  refult  of  tht 
knowledge  of  the  truth. 

When  Mofes  came  down  from  the  Mount,  where  for  a 
long  time  he  hnd  converfed  with  the  God  of  Ifrael,  who 
manifefted  himfelf  by  a  vifible  glory  to  him.,  he  brought 
down  the  image  of  this  vifible  glory  with  him,  his  face 
fhone.  He  put  a  vail  on  his  face,  to  hide  the  bright  luftre 
thereof,  from  the  eyes  of  the  congregation,  who  were  not 
able  to  behold.  So  a  vail  was  on  the  hearts  of  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews  in  the  Apoftolic  age.  The  glory  of  the  Gofpel 
was  hid  by  this  vail  from  them,  even  from  all  that  were 
loft. — But  iv e  all  with  ofen,  with  unvailed,  face  heholding 
as  in  a  glafs  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are,  fays  the  Apoftle,  in 
allufion  to  the  face  or  Mofes,  changed  into  the  fame  image  : 
Into  a  holy,  divine,  a  glorious  frame  of  heart,  refembling 
the  glory  we  behold. 

as  "jargon" — u  hideous  jargon."  Tea,  it  is  a  lie,  which 
begets  thefe  affeclions,  viz.  that  God  hath  forgiven  the  fins 
of  an  impenitent  Sinner.  And  therefore,  not  the  God  of  truth , 
but  the  Father  of  lies  is  the  author  of  this  kind  of  regeneration. 
And  this  is  one  of  his  Jlratagems  to  blind  the  minds  of  them 
that  believe  not,  left  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gofpel  of 
Chrift,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  mould  mire  unto  them. 
Thus  he  transforms  himfelf  into  an  Angel  of  light,  to  de- 
lude poor  Sinners  with  falfe  hopes  and  falfe  joys  ;  to  the  end 
they  may  never  know  the  only  true  God,  and  Jefus  Chrift, 
whom  he  hath  fent ;  and  fo  ne-ver  have  eternal  life.  See  Mr. 
Cud  worth's  further  Defence. 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  175 

Changed  into  the  fame  image. — The  image  of  what  ?— 
Of  the  moral  perfections  of  the  divine  Nature.  Doth  God 
view  himfelf  fo  worthy,  fo  infinitely  worthy  of  fupreme 
love  and  honour,  and  univerfal  obedience,  as  infinitely 
good  and  merciful  as  he  is,  yet  fedately  to  judge,  that  the 
lead  defect  in  us  deferves  eternal  woe  ;  and  chat  it  does  not 
become  him,  as  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth,  in  any  cne  in- 
flancc  ever  to  grant  apardsn  but  through  the  mediation  of 
his  own  Son,  and  on  the  fole  account  of  his  righteoufnefs 
and  atonement?  The  divinely  enlightened  foul  has  the 
fime  views,  in  kind,  and  an  anf.verable  frame  of  heart. 
"  Righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  when  thou  fpeakeft,  and 
clear  when  thou  judgeit  ;  for  deftruclion  is  my  due,  and 
Hell  my  proper  home.  And  mould  Uriel  juftice  take  place, 
all  Heaven  ought  forever  to  love  and  adoie  the  inhni'ely 
glorious  Majeity,  crying,  Amen  Hallelujah.  Yea,  fo  bad 
am  I,  that  any  thing  better  than  eternal  damnation  is  too 
good  for  me.  It  is  even  unmeet  fuch  vilenefs  fiiould  be 
pafled  over  by  the  righteous  Governor  of  the  world  with- 
out a  testimony  of  his  infinite  abhorrence.  There  could  be 
"tio  hope  in  my  cafe  were  it  not  for  the  mediation,  merits 
and  atonement  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  could  n3t  have  been 
jufl:  and  right,  to  have  pardoned  fuch  a  wretch,  hid  not 
he  been  fet  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation.  But  now  God  can 
be  jufe.  Therefore  to  free  grace,  through  the  Redemption 
which  is  in  Jefus  Chrift,  1  look.  Here  is  all  my  hope. 
And  I  give  up  myfelf  to  God  through  the  great  Mediator, 
to  love  him  and  be  forever  his :  efteeming  it  the  fitted 
thing  in  the  world  forever  to  live  to  his  glory,  and  the 
happieft  thing  to  delight  in  him  as  the  Supreme  Good. — 
fVbom  have  J  in  Heaven  but  t';ee,  and  there  is  none  en  Earth 
1  defer e  befide  theeV  And  thus  they  are  changed  into  the 
fame  imige.  And  thus  God  accomplices  his  word,  1  'will 
ivrite  my  lavj  in  their  heart. 

The  law  'written  in  the  heart. — This  is  another  name  gi- 
ven to  the  fame  thing,  for  the  law  is  a  tranfeript  of  the 
divine  Nature,  the  very  image  of  God.  As  the  law  was 
written  in  inielible  characters,  on  Tables  of  Stone  by  the 
finger  of  God,  of  clJ  ;  f  j  now,  views  and  difpofitiona  an- 
fwerable  to  the  nature  of  the  law,  become  hibitual  in  the 
heart,  through  the  influences  cf  the  Spirit  cf  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  meafure  of  grace  received.  And  this  becomes 
the  genuine  language  of  the  foul.     "  How  reafonable  is  it 


I76  THE  EFFECTS  OP  [sEC.  Xlf. 

to  love  with  all  my  heart,  fuch  an  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable  Being  !  And  delight  with  aii  my  ioui  in  fuch  per- 
fect beauty  1  And  cake  up  my  everlaftirrg  contentment 
in  the  fountain  and  fcurce  of  ail  good  !  How  fit,  that  I 
fhoald  be  wholly  for  him,  whafe  I  entirely  am  !  And  be 
at  his  beck,  whole  hands  formed'  me  !  And  at  his  difp ofal, 
who  is  Lord  of  aii  things,  and  whole  rectitude  is  abfoluteiy 
perfect,  and  whole  goodneft  and  wifdom  are  infinite,  and 
who  has  giver,  his  Son  to  die  for  a  loit  world  !  And  how 
beautiful,  how  much  to  be  delired,  that  all  on  Earth  mould 
unite  as  brethren,  to  live  in  the  deareft  Jove  and  harmony, 
as  one  happy  family,  under  the  government  of  the  common 
Father  of  our  fpirits,  and  who  is  ready  to  become  our 
everlafting  Father  and  Friend  through  Jems  Chrift  !  O, 
that  all  the  human  Race  would  join,  with  one  heart,  to  re- 
pent, and  return,  and  be  reconciled  to  God,  through  Jefus 
Chrilt  !  Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  hallowed  be  thy 
name,  thy  kingdom  come,  thy  will  be  done,  on  Earth  as  it  is  in 
Heaven"  And  thus  he  begins  to  love  God  with  all  his 
heart,  and  his  neighbour  as  himfelf  ;  which  was  the  very 
temper  of  Jefus  Chrift.  And  fo  Chrijl  is  formed  in  him. — 
Which  is  another  name  given  to  the  fame  thing,  and  the 
import  of  it  may  be  thus  expreffed. 

Chrijl  formed  in  thejoul, — "  He  took  not  on  him  the  na- 
ture of  Angels.  Thoie  of  them  who  fell,  needed  a  Saviour 
as  much  as  we.  And  they  were  a  nobler  rank  of  beings. 
But  they  were  palled  by  :  and  fo  might  we  have  been,  and 
God  had  been  forever  righteous.  His  law  was  holy,  jult 
and  gecd.  Every  mouth  was  flopped.  The  whele  world 
ftood  guilty  before  God.  How  i'iee  was  the  grsce,  how 
grc?t'  was  the  goodnefs,  that  provided  fuch  a  Saviour  for 
fuch  a  world  as  this  !  What  love  to  God,  what  love  to 
man,  induced  the  Son  of  God  to  become  incarnate  !  To 
honour  the  divine  law  by  his  obedience  snd  death,  and 
open  a  way  for  Grd  to  communicate  his  grace  to  us,  tnd 
for  us  to  return  to  God,  and  be  forever  happy  in  him.  To 
thee,  O  Lord,l  return,  with  my  whole  heart,  through  Je- 
fus Chrift.  In  his  name  alone,  1  come.  O,  may  I  be  found 
in  him,  ~nd  have  or  his  rig  hteoufnefs,  ar.d  be  accepted  in 
the  beloved  ;  an  ed  with  the  Holy  Spiiit  of  promife 

to  .'  e  day  cf  n,   fandificd  wholly  to  the  Lord  ! 

O,  r;:ay  I  be  in  Chrift  as  the  branch  is  in  the  vine,  and  par- 
take of  his  nature  and  fpirit  ;   of  his  fulntfs  receive,  and 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  177 

grace  for  grace.     That  thejame  mind,  which  was  in  C 
jefus,  and  brought  him  from   Heaven,  and  carried 
through  all  the  labours  of  his  lift  f  his 

death,  may  alfo  be  in  me.     The  fai  i :.  re- 

gard to  the  hon 

and   concern   x'jr   their   falvation. 
from  which  the  Sen  'of  God  became   in  : 
died,  may  [  alvvaj  eady  :,  all 

my  Earthly  comforts,  and  if  need  .  down  my  life." 

And  thus,  in  thefe  views,  a  fpi  ble  to  the 

per  of  jefus  Chrift,  and  to  the  ;f  his  me- 

diatorial Office  and  Work,  is  formed  in  the  foul.     An 
become  at  heart,  his  difciples.    And  he  is  able  to 
to  the  uttei  is  come  unto  God  by  .' 

ever  liveth  to  make  interceffion  for  them. 

Them  that  come  unto  God  by  htm. — Another   defcrip 
of  the  fame  thing. —  That  come  unto  God. — Unto  God,  the 
abfolutely  perfect,  the  infinitely  glorious  ai  . 
ing,  infinitely   worthy  of  fapreme  love  and  honour,   and 
nniverfal  obedience,  and  the  fupreme  Good  ;  in  a  vi 
w  hofe  glory,  an  inclination  to  come,  ij  begotten  in  the  fou  . 
That  com z  unto  God  by  him.     Encouraged  by  hi 
tion,   righteoufnefs  and  atonement,  we  are  emboldened  to 
enter  into  the  prelence  of  the   holy   one  of  Ifrael, 
whofe  fight  the  Heavens  are  not  clean,  and  before  whom 
fuch  as  we  mnft  needs  appear  infinitely  odious  and  ab 
nable.    And  thus,  if  any  man  is  in  Chrift  jefus,  be  is  a,  news 
creature  y    poffefled  of  a  relifh,  of  views,  and  affections,  he 
never  hid  before.      Yea,  all  old  things  are paffed  away,  be- 
hold,  all  things  are  become  nen.v.      And  this  whols  change  is 
of  God,   who  thus   reconciles  us  to  himfelf  by  J  ejus   Chrift. — 
2  Cor.  v.  17,  18. 

Reconciles  us  to  himfelf  b)/  Jefus  Chrift. — It  is  through 
Jefus  Chrift,  who  has  fecured  the  honour  of  the  divine  go- 
vernment, that  God  communicates  thofe  influences  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  by  which  our  eyes  are  op  .ned,  to  behold  the 
glory  of  the  Lord.  And  it  is  through  Jefus  Chrift  that  the 
enlightened  Sinner  is  emboldened  to  return  to  God.  And  fo 
this  reconciliation  is  brought  about  wholly  through  the  me- 
diation  of  Jefus  Chrift.  And  in  it,  we  are  really  recon- 
ciled to  God,  againft  whom  we  were  before  at  enmity. 
Reconciled  to  God — To  God's  true  and  real  character  ex- 
it 


i;8  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

liibited  in  his  law,  and  ratified  on  the  crofs  of  Chrift.  We 
are  reconciled  to  it,  as  to  a  character,  in  itfelf,  without  a 
blemiih,  perfect  in  beauty;  and  fo  begin  to  rejoice  that 
God,  his  nt,  are  juft  v.  hat  they  are,  from 

a  fen fe  of  their  Superlative  excellency  in  themfclves  ;  no 
lor  i:  fed  to  be,  to  with  ihey  were  d 

ent  from  what  they  are ;  ither  inclined  to  fay,  the  Lad 
ntgneih,  i  ►  reconciled,  as  that  now, 

Till  a  rule  of  life  by  us, 

and  c  3  echo  to  the  language  of  holy  Da- 

vid, in  the  cxixth  Pfalm,  in  its  commendation. 

Among  ,  scls  of  Divine  Illumination,  there  is  none 

mure  remarkable  in  itfelf,   or 

jquences,  than  this,  thru  ;hq  true  convert 

w  ho  ufed  to  be  an  enemy  to  the  divine  law,  is  brought  un- 
derftandingly  and  heartily  to  love  it,  and  to  make  it  the 
rule  of  iiis  lire.  The  grace  of  God  teaches  him  to  deny  all 
urtgodlinefs  and  every  worldly  hjl,  and  to  live  foberly,  righte- 
ouJlyy  and  god  lily,  in  this  pre/eat  world.  Nor  is  there  any 
thing  which  more  evidently  diftinguiihes  a  true  converfion 
from  every  counterfeit  than  this.  Hereby  we  know,  that 
we  know  hint,  if  ive  keep  lis  commandments.  For  every  na- 
tural man,  of  whatever  feci  or  party  in  the  Chriftian  world, 
and  however  religious  in  his  way,  is  at  heart,  an  Antino- 
mian  in  this  particular.  He  doth  not,  in  fa&,  receive  the 
divine  law,  in  its  true  meaning  and  real  extent,  as  the  rule 
of  his  life  ;  yea,  fo  far  from  it,  that  if  he  mould  go  about 
to  do  it,  and  if  his  c^nfeience  fhould  in  the  mean  time  be 
awakened  to  underiland  it,  all  his  religious  affections  would 
it-and  condemned  by  it  in  his  conference  in  a  moment  ; — 
and  all  his  prcfent  hopes  be  ftruck  dead  by  it  at  once.  For 
tr.ere  is  not  any  one  thing  about  him,  any  thought,  word, 
or  action,  or  any  inward  biafs  of  hc-.rt,  in  conformity  to 
the  divine  law,  in  a  natural  man.  But  one  natural  man  is 
as  really  dead  in  Jin,  and  devoid  of  ail  true  holinefs,  as  ano- 
ther. And  the  only  thing,  that  renders  it  pofiible  for  any 
natural  man  to  think  otherwife  or  himfelf,  than  that  he  is 
dead  in  fin,  is  ignorance  of  the  true  nature  >;f  the  law. — 
Without  the  law,  Jin  was  dead.  1  was  alive  without  the 
law  once  :  but  when  the  commandment  ca?ne,  fin  revived ',  ai-d 
What  {- rcatcr  change  therefore,  cun  happen,  than 
to  be  brought  acquainted  with  the  divine  law,  to  be  ilain 
by  it,  and  yet  brought  to  love  it,  as  holy,  juft  and  good  ; 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION-  I  Jff 

Co  as  to  receive  it  cordially  as  a  rule  of  life  ." 
vellous  alteration  muil  this  make  in  the  whole  fyftem  o 
views  and  afFections:  and  in  the  whole  toner  of  our  lives  ? 
Even  as  great  as  to  be  turned  from  \    and 

from  the  ponxcr  if  Jin  and  Sate 

Every  thing  which  corr.es  into  the  vie 
enlightened  loul,  harmonioufly  unites  together,   to  in< 
him  cordially  to  receive  the  divine  law,  as  a  rule  oi 
by  which  to  regulate  every   inward  bi;    , 
word  and  action.     A  view  of  God,   as  an  ii 
ous  Being,  and  our  common   Creator,   : 
ble  and  beautiful  it  is  for  ail  mankind,  who  an 
creatures,   children  of  the  lame  common  flock,    to  . 
together  as  brethren,    in  fupreme  love   and   honour, 
univerfal   obedience,   to  the  Father  of  the   Univerfe,   the 
God  of  glory,  juft  as   the  divine  law   requires. — A  \ 
of  the  divine  law,  as  holy r  juft  and  good,  a  glorious   law, 
antecedent  to  the  confederation  of  the  gift  of  Chriff,   and 
the  work  of  redemption  by  him,   {hews  that  our  oii. 
obligations  to  do  fo,  are  infinite.     And  this  is  alio  implied 
in  a  view  of  fin,  as  an  infinite  evil  ;    and  in  the  view  of 
vindictive  juftice,  as  an  amiable  perfection  in  the  Deity  ; 
as  alfo  in  a  view  of  God,  as  the  fuprerr  .A  view 

of  the  incarnation,  life  and  death  of  the  S  m  i  f  God,  I 
honour  to  the  divine  law  ,  to  open  a  way  for  ti.tf 

pardon  of  the  penitent  believer,  confident  with  the  hon 
of  the  fupreme  Gover.-.or  cf  the  world,  fets  before  us  the 
bigheft  pofiible  proof,  of  an  external  nature,  of  the  gocd- 
nefs  and  excellency  of  the  divine  law  ;  even  the  hi  g  he  ft 
proof,  that  could  have  been  given  by  God  the  Father,  or 
God  the  Son.  Befides,  we  have  herein  a  perfect  obedience 
to  the  divine  law,  recommended  to  us,  by  an  example,  in 
itfelf,  the  moll  engaging,  fet  before  us  on  deilgn  that  war 
mould  imitate  it ;  ana  fet  us  by  him,  who  left  his  Father's 
bofom,  and  died  on  th-:  crofs  to  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity, 
and  purify  us  to  him felf,  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works.  Add  to  all  this,  the  divinely  enlightened  foul,  in 
confequence  of  the  new  taile  and  relifh,  communicated  in 
regeneration,  (Rom.  viii.  5)  begins  to  difcern,  that  it  is 
not  only  the  fiueit,  but  the  happieft  thing  in  the  world, 
yea,  is  even  the  beginning  of  eternal  life,  and  fureufte  of 
Heaven,  to  afpiie  to  be  holy  as  God  is  holy,  to  love  Gcd 
R     2 


iSo  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

arci  live  to  him,  and  live  upon  him  through  Jefus  Chrirt, 
and  love  the  people  of  God,  and  love  ail  mankind,  and  be 
and  do  in  every  refpect,    as  the  divine  law  requires. — Be- 
fides,   the  infinite  obligations   we  are  under  hereunto,  in 
point  of  gratitude  to  God  and   to  his  Son,  for  the  infinite 
Inefs    manifefted  in  the  work  of  cur  redemption.     To 
all  which  we  may  add,  the  eternal  rewards,  which  are  to 
I   by  Jefus  cur  final  judge,    to  all  his  obedient 
les  at  the  laftDay  ;  for  fervices  fo  finfully  defective, 
j  be  accepted,   were  it  not  for  our  union  v.  i.h 
loU  to  him,  who  is  God's  bclcved  Son,  and  heir 
ngs\     For  at  that  Day,  not  fo  much  as  a  cup  of 
iven  :o  a  difciple,  in  the  name  of  a  difciple, 
be  overlooked,  or  pafs  unrewarded.     The  higheft  re- 
the  Kings  of  the  Earth,    give  to   victorious 
. :  a  1 5 ,  who  have  ventured  their  lives  in  their  fervice  in 
i;.  feme  title  of  honour,  or  poft  cf  profit,  a  k.urcl 
,  a  mere  trifle  ;    but  Jefus    gives  an  etr;o.irl  reward  in 
for  lot  a  cup  cf cold 'water. — Thcfe,  and  all 
things,  which  ccme  into  the  vi<:w  cf  the  divinely  erlight- 
enedfoul,  harmonioufly  uritc  together,  to  induce  him  cor- 
dially to  give  Gcd  the  throne,  relign  to  his  authority,  be 
at  his  command,  and  receive  his  law  as  a  perfect  univerfal 
rule,  according  to  which,  to  feel  and  think,  to  fpeak  cud 
act,  through  all  his  life,  and  to  lock  upon  himfelf  infinitely 
to  blame,  wherein  foever  he  comes  ftiort  cf  yielding  that 
perfect  love  and  obedience,  which  the  lav/  requires . 

And  what  mini  be  the  confeouence  cf  this,  confidering, 
that  the  beft  arc  fanclificd  but  in  part,  and  that  the  law 
requires  finlefs  perfection  ?  What,  but  the  law  is  fpirifuat, 
I  a?n  carnal,  fold  under  Jin,  O  wretched  man  that  1  am. — 
What,  but  a  continual  fenfe  of  infinite  blame,  a  life  of 
felf- loathing,  and  felf-abhorrer.ee,  of  godly  forrow,  of  pe- 
nitency,  cf  broken- hearted nefs,  of  hungering  and  thirfl- 
5ng  after  righteoufnefs,  cf  watching,  of  prayer,  of  fight- 
ing, of  ftriving,  of  running,  of  wreftling,  &c.  juft  as  the 
"New  Teftamcnt  rcprefents  the  Chriflian  life  to  be.  And 
what  muft  be  the  confequence  cf  all  this,  but  a  growing 
fenfe  cf  our  need  of,  and  abfolr.te  dependence  upon  the 
free  grace  of  God  through  Jefus  Chrift,  for  pardoning, 
mercy  and  fanclifying  grace  every  day  ?  We  are  the  circum- 
ciJion>  which  wcrjhip  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Chrift 
y  ejus,  and  have  no  covfidence  in  iheflejh,  And  thus  true  Saints. 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  iBl 

are  trained  up  to  prize  the  Redeemer,  and  the  SancVifier, 
and  live  wholly  by  Faith;  while  at  the  fame  time,  they  are 
perfecting  holin;fs  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

And  in  this  view,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  the  reafon,  why  a  life 
of  univerfhl  obedience  is  constantly  repTefented  in  the  holy 
Scriptures,  as  peculiar  to  true  Saints,  in  difti  notion  from 
ail  falfe  profeiTors;  as  true  Saints  are  the  only  perfons  in 
the  World,  wno  cordially  receive  the  divine  law  as  a  rule 
of  life.  Affl/.vii.  21,  27.  chap.  x\Y\.  23. — joh.  xv.  2,6,  14. 
— Jam.  ii.  10. — 1  [oh.  ii.  3.  4,  5,  6.  chap.  iii.  3,  10.  chap. 
v.  18,   &c.  &c. 

And  in  this  view,  it  is  eafy  to  Tec  the  reafon,  why  hu- 
mility is,  at  the  fame  time,  and  in  perfect  confidence,  re- 
prefented  through  all  the  Scriptures,  as  the  chief  part  oi  R 
good  man's  character.    An  hypocrite  bring  i  of  the 

divine  law,  the  more  religious  he  is,  the  more  proud  and 
couceiied  will  he  be:  but  with  a  true  Saint,  it  is  juit  the 
contrary.  For  if  the  divine  law  is  his  rule  of  duty,  and  if 
his  obligations  perfectly  to  conform  thereto  are  infinite,  and 
his  blame  for  every  defeel  proporti  eat,  and  i 

fault  is  wholly  in  aim,  if  his  remaining  fpiritual  blind nefs 
is  altogether  criminal,  his  ftupidity  to  the  beauty  of  divine 
things  wholly  vicious,  his  want  of  perfect  love  to  God  and 
Chriit,  and  the  moil  tender  regard  to  the  welfare  of  man- 
kind inexcufable  wickednefs,  &c.  fee.  If  this  be  the  true 
ftate  of  the  cafe,  and  if  he  views  things  in  this  light,  a 
mean  and  low  the  ugh  t  of  himfelf,  and  an  aniwerable  frame 
of  heart,  as  he  has  ail  the  reafon  in  the  World  for  it,  mule 
be  a  very  eflential  part  of  his  (  b.  ii.  4.  Behold 

his  foul  which  is  lifted  up,  is  hot  up>i^!:t  in  him.     No 
er  proof,  as  man    is  ignorant  of  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Je- 
fus,     than   fpiritual    pride   reigning  ir.   his  heart.      The 
gracelels  Pharifee,  ignorant  of  the  true  fenfe  pf  the  divine 
law,  was  ready  to  fay,  God,  I  thank  thee,  lx&m  net  as  other 
men.     While  to  the  penitent  Publican,  in  a  view  of  the 
truth,  it  was  altogether  natural  to  fmite  up^n  ills  i  reaft, 
and  fay,    God  be  mer  fful  to  me  A  fimter.       The 
were  ready  to  fay,  Behold  we  fee.    While  the  h< 
lifts  up  his  cry  to  Heaven,   Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  i,:ay 
heboid  wondrous  dings  out  of  i-.y  law,  r  . 
is  the  genuine  language  of  the  heart  oi   the  .     fl  en 
ened  Saint.     For,  fays  the  Apoftle,  Phil,  iii   13,  14,  1 
not  myfelf  to  have  apprehended;  but  this  one  thing  I  do. 


IO*2  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.   XH» 

getting  tbofe  things  which  are  behind ',  and  reaching  forth  unto 
things  which  arc  lefore,    I  prefs  towards  the  mark,  for 
the  prize  of  the  high  cal!i/:g  cf  Gcd  in  Chrifi  J  ejus. 

Ana  to  a  man  of  a  humble,  broken,  contrite  heart,  it 
will  be  eafy  to  bear  injuries,  to  leve  and  forgive  enemies  ; 
and  natural  in  lowlinefs  of  mind  to  prefer  others  before 
himfelf,  to  render  honour  to  whom  honour  is  due,  and  as 
much  as  in  him  lies  live  peaceably  with  all  men,  according 
to  the  exhortations  of  the  Gofpel.  Beiides,  that  fuch  a 
frame  of  heart  mull  be  an  excellent  preparative  to  all  fe- 
cial and  relative  duties,  io  tha:  the  character  of  a  good 
hufband,  a  good  wife,  a  good  parent,  a  good  child,  good- 
neighbour,  &c.  meek,  kind,  ju'.t,  honeft,  faithful,  &c.  will 
be  the  native  refult  of  Divine  Illumination.  And  thus  true 
Saints  are  the  fait  of  the  Earth,  the  light  of  the  World:  and 
while  others  bt  .-,  they  are  ccnihainei  to 

glorify  thdr  Father  which  is  in  Heaven.  And  the  connec- 
tion between  Divine  Illumination  and  all  holy  living,  is  fo 
certain  and  infallible,  that  it  is  declared  from  Heaven,  that 
be  that  faith  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments, 
is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  net  in  him.  For  we  all,  with  open 
face,  beholding  as  in  a  glafs  the  glory  if  the  Lord,  are  changed 
into  the  fame  im  %  glory  to  glory. 

And  as  Divine  Illumination  thus  lays  the  foundation  for 
all  Chriilian  graces  and  duties  ;  fo  at  the  fame  time  it  e- 
qually  lays  a  foundation  for  all  Christian  comforts  and  con- 
solation. 

A  view  of  God  the  abfolutely  perfect,  the  infinitely  glo- 
rious and  amiable  Being,  as  manifefted  in  the  Gofpel  of 
Chriir,  is  a  fource  of  ineffable  py  and.  confolation  to  the 
divindy  enlightened  foul.  The  holy  beauty  of  the  divine 
Mature,  is,  in  itfelf,  the  moR  fweet  and  ravifhing  thing  in 
the  Univerfe,  which  can  be  beheld  by  Angels  or  men. — 
Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hi-fis,  the  whole  Earth  is  full 
cf  his  glory  ;  is  the  language  of  Heaven  in  a  tranfport.  And 
the  inetFabie  glory  of  the  divine  Nature  is  the  mil  and  chief 
thing,  which  ftrikes  '.he  mind  snd  charms  the  heart  of 
him  that   ;  ;ened.     This  is  life  eternal,   this  is  the 

to    know   thee,  the  only  true   Gcd, 
mnd  Jefus  Cbriji  whom  thou  hafi  fent. 

A  view  of  an  ab  %  an  infinitely  glorioua 

and  amiable  Being,  at  the   head  of  the  Univerfe,  preients 
before  the  mind  an  all-fuffieient  good  ;  a  glorious  and  ra- 


JEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  183 

viihing  iic;ht,  to  a  poor  orphan,  feif  ruined  creature,  in 
want  of  au  things :  and  a  light  never  before  fcen  and  indeed 
no  where  ei(e  to  be  feen  in  Heaven  or  Earth.  The  joys 
which  are  the  native  refult  of  this  view,  no  words  can  fully 
cxp;efs.  It  Ujcy  unfyeakabU  and  full  of  glory*  Pfal.  lxxiii. 
25.    Whom  bate  1  in   Heaven  but  tlee,  and  there  is  none  on 

Earth  that  I  dejire  bejides  tbee. For, 

As,  in  Divine  Illumination,  the  mind  is  thoroughly  con- 
vinced cf  the  truth  of  the  Gofpcl  ;  10  it  appears  to  the 
foul,  both,  that  God  can  confidently  with  hi,  honour,  and 
that  he  is  willing  to  receive  to  favour,  any,  the  moil  naked, 
forlorn,  wretched,  guilty,  ill-deferving,of  the  human  race, 
which  fhall  come  unto  God  by  Jeius  Chriii ;  and  to  become 
a  God  and  father  and  friend  and  portion  to  them  through 
him.  Which  is  to  fee  even  God  himfelf,  the  infinitely 
glorious  God,  the  Supreme  Good,  prefented  to  his  choice, 
through  jefus  Chrift,  as  the  portion  of  his  foul.  All . 
are  ready,  come  unto  the  marriage.  It  appears  to  be  a 
He  makes  no  excufe.  But  like  the  man  in  Mat.  xiii.  44. 
who  having  found  a  treafure  hid  in  a  field,  fer  joy  thereof,  be 
goeth  andfelleth  all  that  he  hath,  and  buyeth  that  field.  And 
io  he  drinks  of  that  water,  fpoken  of  in  Joh.  iv.  10,  14. 
which,  nx/hofoever  drinketb ,  fhall  never \tbirfi f.  And  when  be 
comes  fer.nbiy  to  have  God,  for  his  God,  father  raid  p  r- 
tion,  he  is  happier  than  if  all  the  world  were  his  own. 
Hab.  iii.  17,  81.  Although  the  fig-tree  jball  not  blcfjfom,  nei- 
ther fiat  I  fruit  he  in  the  -vires,  &c.  yet  1  will  rejoiee  in  the 
Lsru,  I  <wul  joy  in  the  God  of  my  falvation.  Therefore  faii 
the  Apoltle  to  the  primitive  Chriflians,  not  in  the  leafl  de- 
jected for  his  part,  al  :hcugh  then  a  prifoner  at  Rome,  and 
his  converts  in  a  ilate  of  pfrfecution,  Rejoice  in  the  Lord 
aUways  :  and  again  :e.      Be  careful  fornothing,  but 

in  evi  by  prayer  (  cation  ivitb   thankfgiving, 

I  1  unto  Gcd.      And  the  peace  of 

G  A  your  he crts  and 

nil.  iv.  4.  9,  7.      For,  in  chu- 
ne  Goou,  all  earthly  idols  are  re- 

•  :,  our  treafure  is  hid  up  in  Heaven  ;  and  if  grace 
i  forts  will  remain,  let  out- 

ward ill.      Beiides,  it  is  found  by  ex- 

pert 
•    -  work  toge- 

for  goo  a   to  them  that  love  (jW.     And  lo  the  heart  i$ 


184  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

reconciled  f~.  yea,  rejciccthin,  God's  ways  towards  the 

children  of  men  in  this  life. Bciidcs, 

fee  an  abfolutely  perfect,  an  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable  Being,  at  the  head  of  the  Univerfe,  is  matter  of 
>lejoy.  Both  becaufe  it  is  an  honour  due  to  him, 
who  is  by  nature  God,  to  be  fupreme,  to  ta!;e  the  throne, 
to  rule  and  reign,  and  to  be  worfnipped  as  God  :  and  be- 
caofe  it  is  infinitely  to  the  advantage  of  the  Intellectual 
fyftem,  to  be  under  a  government,  in  its  own  nature  abfo- 
lutely perfect.  Pfai.  xcvii.  1.  The  Lad  reignetb,  let  the 
Earth  rejoice  >  let  I  he  multitude  of  ljles  be  glad  thereof . — Pfai. 
XCvi.  1.  O  fir.g  unto  the  Lord  a  new  fotig,  fing  unto  the  Lord 
all  1  he  Earth.  \rer.  4.  For  the  Lord  is  great,  and  greatly  to 
be  praifed ;    be  is  to  be  feared  above  all  Gods,   \ er.  8.   Give 

be.  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name.  \  er.  IO.  Say  among 
the  Heathen  the  Lord  re ignfth.   Yer.  11,  12,  13.  Let  the 
is  rejoice,  and  let  the  Earth  he  glad  ;  let  the  J'ea  roar 
and  the  fulnefs  thereof :  let  the  field  be  joyful  and  all  that  is 
therein  .      .         /hall  all  the  trees  of  toe  -wood  rejoice  before  the 
Lord  :  for  he  cometk  to  judge  the  Earth :  be  jh  all  judge  the 
\fncj'Sy  and  the  pec  [die  with  his  truth,   i 
iii.  Praife  ye  the  L:rd.     Praife  ye  the  Lord  from  the  Hea- 
vens :  praife  him  in  the  /.eights  :  praife  him  all  ye  his  yl.c 
praife  him  all  his  hojls,  &:c.  tic.     For  his  name  (done  is  excel- 
lent, Lis  glory  is  -  Earth  and  Heaven.  8:c. — Befid<'3, 
A  \icw  of  the  divi  ly,  juft  and  good,  a  glo- 
rious law,  and  of  \                    [ufHce  s.*  a  be.iuty  in  the  di- 
vine Character,  difpels  thofe  black,  gloomy,  blafphemous 
thoughts,  which  are  apt  to  haunt  benighted  fouls,  and  gra- 
dual!                 e  mind  to  difeem  the  holinefs,  juftice 

;j's  general  plan  of  government,  as  repre- 

1  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  from  the  fall  of  Angels,  d<  wn 
to  ihe  day  of  )  udg  ment,  \  1  h  eternal  ages.  Whereby 

a  Heavenly  ferenity  and  gh  the  fouls  of 

the  Saints,  t  •  fee  all  God's  ways  to  bu  right,  and  even 
thofe  parts  of  ids  conduct,  which,  to  many,  appear  fo 
rible,  to  be  re;  iful  in  themfelves,  worthy  of  God, 

and  to  his  eternal  honour.     Of  whom,  and  by  whom,  end  to 

■1.  are  all  things:  to  whom  beglorj  forever,  Amen.  Rom. 

.   Tne  exec  ;:  glory  to  God  and  good  to 

the  faved,    which   in  time   and  eternity,    are,   , 
to  the  Scriptures,  to  rcfult  from  the  incarnation,  life,  death, 


SEC.   XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  1S5 

refurreclion  and  exaltation  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  en  inex- 
hauftible  fource  of  joy  and  coniolation,  to  thofe  who  arc 
divinely  en-lightened  ;  as  they  are  deeply  intercut  d  in  the 
henour  of  God  and  of  his  .^on,  and  in  the  welfare  cf  his 
holy  and  eternal  kin;  dom.  Glory  to  God  in  the  bigbeft,  on 
Earth  peace,  and  ;••;.■  w  as  the  joyful  iovg 

of  the  Heavenly  at  the  bin]  Saviour.     And 

the  hearts  of  all  the  Saints  echo  to  it  with  ineffable  eonfo- 

lation. Moreover, 

To  love  God,  to  I  -  feel  every  anfwer- 

able  :.  )ward  the  gle  pel  cf  Jcfus  Chrif;, 

to  prefent  and  offer  up  our  liv<  a  living  .  .  i  ice  to  G^<1, 
to  love  tiie  people  of  God,  to  love  all  ma  love 

and  forgive  enemies,  to  go  about  the  common  duties  of 
life  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  as  hi"  fervants,  1  cavenly  mind- 
ed, of  a  meek  and  quiet  fpirit,  compofed,  fedate,  with  our 
loins  girt,  always  watching  a  ng,  is  the 

happieft  way  of  living  on  this  fide  of  Heaven.  The  o:- 
crcife  of  theie  and  all  other  gir.c.s  of  the  Chriftian  life,  is, 
i'.fc'if,  a  plealure  divinely  fweet.     Wifdonfs  ways  are  pie  k- 

and  all  her  paths  are  peace.   Prov.  iii.   17.  Great  j 
have  they  that  love  thy  lev:  ;  g  frail  effend  i 

Pfal.  cxix.  165.  In  a  word,  a  humble,  broken,  contrite 
heart,  mortified  to  all  earthly  goods,  and  fortified  agaiflft 
all  earthly  evils,  and  ofed  to  converfe  with  the  Deity,  is 
attended  with  pleafures  unfpeakably  preferable  to  all  this 
World  can  be 

Thus  Divine  Illumination  lays  the  foundation  for  Chris- 
tian graces  and  Chriftian  comforts.     They  arc  connected 
together  in  the  experiences  of  the  Saints,  juft  as  the 
in  the  promifes  of  God's  word.     For  all  the  promifes  of 
God  are  in  Chrift,  Yea,  and  Amen.     Come  unto  me  all  ye 
that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,   and  I  will  give  you  reft. — 
Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  tf  me,  for  I  am 
lowly  in  hearty  and  ye  Jhall find  reft  to  your  fouls ,  M 
28,  29.      For  thus  faith  the  high  and  lofty  One,  1  hat  inbetbi- 
teth  eternity,  whofe  name  is  holy,  I  dwell  in  ti. 
place  i  ivith  him  alfo  that  is  cf  a  contrite  and  humble  ,] 
to  revive  the  fpirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  fpirit  of 
contrite  ones.  liai.  ]vii.  15.  For  he  thai  bumbleth  bimfelf Jhall 
be  exalted.  Luk.  xviii.  14.     He  that  hath  my  command, 
and  keepetb  them,  he  it  is  that  leveih  me :  and  he  that  lovcih 
me,  jhall  le  loved  of  my  Father  5  and  1  will  love  hint.  Mid 


lS6  THE    EFFECTS    OF  [SEC.  XII. 

maniffft  myfelf  unto  him,  Joh.  xiv.  21. — Thus  Chrillian 
graces  and  ChriiUan  comforts  go  together.  And  if  the 
gr  ccs  and  comforts  of  the  Saints  are  at  any  time  in  a  lan- 
guifhin^  ftate  it  is  owing  to  their  fpiritual  Blindnefs,  which 
i\  fa  criminal  nature;  and  I'o  the  fault  is  en- 

tire!) Exhibited  to  view  in  the 

<  '  Id  in  their  glory,  are  fufficient  to  make  their 

graces  and  comforts  always  abound. — And  if  the  graces 
and  comforts  ci'  the  Saint;  are  in  a  flourifhing  ftate,  it  is 
entirely  owing  to  fpiritual  light,  or  a  fenfe  of  the  glory  of 
divine  truths,  communicated  to  them  fiom  God,  of  his 
meer  felf-moving  gooduefs  and  infinite  gr^ce  through  Jefus 
Chrift,  to  creatures  infinitely  unworthy:  and  fo  all  the 
glory  is  due  to  him,  of  whom,  and  by  whom,  and  to  whom 
are  all  things }  to  -j^horn  be  gl cry  for  e-zer,  Amen, 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  view,  a  very  brief,  general,  im- 
perfect view  of  the  Effects  of  Divine  Illumination ;  and  may 
now  conclude  this  Section  with  a  few  remarks. 

1.  The  graces  and  joys  of  Saints  on  Earth,  and  Saints 
in  Heaven,  are  of  the  fame  nature.  The  fame  kind  of  ho- 
linefs  and  happinefs  is  begun  in  Divine  Illumination  in  this 
World,  as  Saints  are  poileffed  of  in  Heaven,  only  in  a  much 
lower  degree.     Eternal   life  is  be>  m.   (Joh.  xvii. 

3.)   They  arej  'th  to  life.   (Joh.  v.  24.)  They 

begin  to  live.  :gin  to  view  things  and  feci  tow- 

ard them  a,  they  do  in  Heaven.  The  fame  li  1  now 

fnines,  vt\\\  Jhine  mere  and  more  unto  the  ■■•.  (?rov. 

iv.   j8.)    At  firil  it  is  very  fmr.il  like  a  grain  of  muftard 
feed;   but  it  is  of  the  lame  kind  with  that  perfect  hoi 
and    happinefs  which  is  above.     And  i'o  it  is  an  earneft  of 
Heaven.   (Eph,  i.  14.)   Yea,  it  is  of  the  fame  kind  with 
the  perfect  holinefs  a  v  Jefus  Chrift  their  head. 

For  they  are  made  partakers  of  the  di-vine  Nature.  (2  Pet.  i. 
4.)  Of  his  ful :-iejs  they  all  receive,  and  grace  for  grace, 
(Joh.  i,  16.)     For  hois  t  id  they  are  the  Branches; 

(Joh.  xv.)  ail  animated  by  the  fame  Spirit,  and  poil'dled  of 
the  fame  kind  of  life.  And  indeed,  there  is  but  one  kind 
of  true  holinefs  in  the  Univerfe,  whether  viewed  in  God 
the  Father,  or  in  Chrift  the  Mediator,  or  in  Saints  who  are 
members  of  Chrift.  God  is  the  original  fountain  and  fland- 
ard  of  true  holinefs ;  the  Moral  Lav/  is  a  tranfeript  of  God's 
moral  perfections,  the  very  irna^e  of  his  heart;  a  perfect 
conformity  to  this  law,  through  the  greatell  trials  in  life 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  iS/ 

and  dearh,  conftituted  the  medial  :t  lighteoufnefs 

of  jefus  Chritl,  our  repu  ittern ;  and  that 

holineh  in  believers,  wherein  they  refemble  Jefus  Chriil, 
confifts  in  conform;  fame  Law.     And  herein  it  is 

diilinguifneri  from  every  counterfeit  in  the  Worlds    Let  it 
once,  therefore,  be 

is,  which  God  exhibits  of  himfelf  in  his  law,  and  wherein 
i:s  beauty  lie.'  i  i  it  is  10  love  it,  as  the  divine  law 

originally  required  of  mankind,  and  the  nature  of  true 
holii  rtained  beyond  difpute.  (i) 

And  in   this  view,  it  a  ftriking  evidence, 

that  he  who  never  bcheid  the  glory  of  the  divine  law,  ne- 
ver had  an  ,  or  love  I  linefa 
in  his  he.  rt  ;  and  all  his  teeming  love  to  Chrift  is  nothing 
but  t  .'  feltifh  /a  (ions, 
togei  tnce  of  Chrift's  true-character.  For  the 
as  a  mediator,  but  a  ty  to 
this  original  law-:  and  if  the  I  ioriotis,  neither 
can  there  beany  glory  in  a  p  .  formity  thereto.  He, 
tile  re  fore,  that  is  blind  tuthe  beauty  of  the  divine  law,  is 
equally  blind  to  the  beamy  of  Chrift,  and  equally  blind  to 
the  beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  indeed  to  al! 
beauty  in  the  Univerfe  ;  whether  exifting  in  God,  orGhrift, 
cr  Saints;  or  manifefted  in  any  part  of  the  holy  Scripture, 
or  in  any  part  cf  the  divine  conduct  which  ever  came  to 
our  knowledge. 

2  Unlefs  we  look  upon  the  vindictive  juftice  cf  the 
Deity,  as  a  beiuty  in  the  divine  Character,  no  Chriftian 
grace  can  be  exercifed,  or  Chriftian  comfort  enjoyed,  For 
there  can  be  no  Chriftian  grace  withoot  love  to  God's  real 
character  nor  Chriftian  comfort  without  eiteeming  God  the 

(i)  Mr.  Cud.  vts,  that :,  that  kind of 'holinefs  J  the.  d 

for,  is  that kind  of holt nefs  the  divine  law  originally  required, 
*<  Thi  ,  vf  Man"     Farther  Def, 

p.  225.  ffoitii  ■      of  holinefs  which  -vsm  in  J      s 

Chrijl  ich  is  in  Heaven,     And  I  grant,  that 

it  is  /;  'eat  from  thai  kind  of  holinefs  which  he 

he  mi  i  mains,   "  There  is  no  Iwelinefs  in  the 
ie  Nature  to  he  conceived  of,  only  in  a  belief  that  he  loves 
ne."  p.  221,  222-      The  only  quejlion  then  is,    Whether  there 
hi  two  kinds  cf  holinefs,    e/Jentialiy   different  in   their  nature , 
And  jet  both  of  the  right  kind. — A  quejlion  eajy  to  be  anfwered. 


l88  THE  EFFECTS  07"  [SIC.  XIJ 

fupreme  Good.     But  Vindiclive  Juitice  is  euential  to  that 
od,   v.'h:;h  is  to  the   Chriftian'a 

view  in  the  crcfs  of  Chrifl  I  as  in  the  whole  of  the 

divine  conduct,  from  the  Fall  down  to  the  day 

of  Judgment^  •    bad  prop  ;ved 

of  and  con  Handy  exercifed,  v  ai  charac- 

ter devoid  y  in 

he  is  nei  hy  of  fupreme  love, 

nor  c-  fupreme  Good  to  holy  minds. — 

And  if  there  is  no  love  to  God's  character,  nor  delight  in 
him  as  the  fupreme  Good  ;  there  is  no  Chriftian  grace,  nor 
Chriftian  comfort. 

If  \  .  Juftice,  is  rot  a  beauty  in  the  divine  Cha- 

ra&er,  then  it  will  follow,  that  there  no  beauty  in  the  di- 
vine Nature,  no  beauty  in  the  divine  Law,  no  beauty  in 
the  Gofpel  of  Chrift,  no  beauty  in  any  part  of  God's  uni- 
verfal  plan  of  government ;  as  Vindiclive  [uilice  fpreads 
through  and  is  eflentia]  to  the  whole.  And  fo,  no  ground 
or  reafon,  upon  the  whole,  for  any  one  being  in  the  Univerfe 
to  love  Goc's  character,  or  rejoice  in  his  government  :  but 
all  reafon,  for  the  whole  intellectual  fyilern,  to  wilh  for  an 
entire  revolution  in  God's  empire,  to  have  every  thing 
turned  upiide  down,  and  put  upon  a  new  foocing,  and  un- 
der another  regulation. 

To  view  the  Vindictive  Jaflice  of  the  divine  Nature,  as 
a  beauty  in  the  divine  Chara&er ;  is  to  fee,  that  all  Heaven 
ought  forever  to  love  and  adore  the  infinitely  glorious  Ma- 
jefty,  for  puniihing  fin  according  to  its  defert.  Rev.  xix. 
i.  6.  And  unlefs  it  appears  to  ui  a  beauty  in  the  divine 
conduct  thus  to  punilh  fin,  we  mull  be  at  enmity  againft  his 
whole  plan  of  government ;  and  can  never  underftandingly 
and  from  the  heart,  wifh  him  well,  or  wilh  any  of  his  fub- 
jects  to  pay  him  honour  ;  unlefs  we  go  on  this  ftupid  max- 
im, "  If  I  am  fafe,  I,  care  not  what  becomes  of  others." 
And  even  this,  is  to  give  up  the  honour  of  the  Deity,  as 
well  as  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-creatures  ;  and  in  deed, 
and  in  truth,  "  to  wiln  well  to  none  but  ourfelves."  And 
this  is  really,  in  one  word,  the  life  and  heart  and  foul  of  all 
the  religious  joys  any  experience,  who  are  blind  to  the 
beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  enemies  to  his  law  and 
government. 

3.  Divine  truths  fpirituaily  known,  /'.  e.  feen  in  their 
divine  glory,  beget  and  excite  all   thofe  holy  affections, 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  189 

which  conititute  the  Chriltian  character,  even  that  the  whole 
fyltem  of  divine  truths,  held  forth  to  view,  frcm  the  be- 
ginning of  Genelis,  to  the  end  of  Revelation,  making  up 
one  harmonious,  confident,  beautiful  whole,  hath  inlluence 
in  this  affair,  to  beget  and  excite  ail  thole  holy  affections, 
which  form  the  character  of  a  ne-uu  man  in  Cbriji  "J ejus  ;  and 
which  lay  a  fure  foundation  for  that  holy  and  divine  life, 
which  agrees  wirh  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Bible,  and  is  pe- 
culiar to  the  true  followers  of  the  Lamb. — It  is  granted, 
that — 

This  whole  fyltem  of   truths,  ever  fo  clearly  fcen,  by  a 
mind  of  an  ill  taile,  and  to  which  the  whole  appears  very 
diiagreeable  and  odious,  will  excite  diilike  and  hatred.  As 
when,  1700  years  ago,  this  whole  fyltem  of  trnths  were  ex- 
emplified in  the  character  of  jefus  Chriit,  before  the  eyes 
of  the  wicked  jews,  who,  the  mere  they  knew  of  him,  the 
more  they  hated  him.      They  have  bctb  jeen  and  bated,  both 
me  and  my  Fat ber.     So  the   fallen  Angels,   the   more   they 
know  of  the  truths  contained  in  the  Bible,  the  more  tlu-y 
hate  them.     And  tiie  fame  may  be  faid  of  all  the  cnildren 
of  difobedience,  who  are  left  of  God  to  their  own  hearts' 
lufts,  and  are  under  the  power  of  the  Prince  of  the  air,  led 
captive  by  him  at  his  will.     For  the  carnal  mind  bein:^  at 
enmity  againltGod,  is,  of  courfe,  equally  at  enmity  againit 
that  whole  fyltem  of  truth  in  which   his  true  character  is 
exhibited.     And  it  is  this,  which  renders  the  regenerating 
influences  of  the  hoiy  Spirit  abfolutely  neceflary  in  order 
that  divine  truths  may  be  feen  in  fuch  a  light  as  to  beget 
and  excite  all  holy  affections.    The  regenerating  influences 
of  the  holy  Spirit  are  not  neceflary  to  make  f  !fe  fchemes 
of  religion  feem  lovely  to  a  carnal  heart :    becaufe  fuch 
fchemes  are  calculated  for  it,  and   in  their  own  nature  are 
adapted  to  fuit  carnal  hearts.    And  were  the  Scripture  fyf- 
tem   of  fentiments  as  agreeable  to  a  carnal  heart,   as  the 
fyftem  of  fentiments  contained   in  falfe  fchemes,  i:  might 
appear  agreeable  and   lovely,  and  excite  anfwerable  affec- 
tions without  fach  influences  ;  and  fo  the  doctrine  of  re- 
generation by  the  holy  Spirit  might  have  been  left  out  of 
the  Bible,  juft  as  it  is  out  of  all  falfe  fchemes.     But  being 
what  it  is,  except  a.  man  is  born  again,  he  cannot  fee  tbe  king- 
dom of  God.     The  Gofpel  will  be  hid  from  him.     For  the 
natural  man  difcemetb  not  tbe  things  of  tbe  Spirit  of  God. — 

R 


19°  THE   EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

Did  the  Aim  and  fubftance  of  the  Gofpel  confifc  in  a  Reve- 
lation, that  there  is  forgimenefs  -ixmb  Go  a  for  impenitent  Sin- 
nets,  or  that  my  Jim  :n  particular  arc  forgiven,  1  might  with- 
out the  regenerating  influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  merely 
from  iclf-iove,  be  raviihed  with  this.  Or  did  the  fum  and 
fubftance  of  the  Golpel  conn  ft  in  a  Revelation,  that  fuch  a 
civil,  fober,  honell  life,  will  entitle  me  to  Heaven,  as  my 
prefent  comfort  and  worldly  intereft  naturally  excites  me 
to,  i  might  be  pleafed  with  the  Golpel  Revelation  without 
any  influences  from  above  at  all.     And  the  like  may  be  faid 

in  all  fimiiar  cafes. Again, 

The  Scripture  fyitem  cf  divine  truths  being  one  harmo- 
nious confident  Wnole,  the  true  divine  beaucy  of  no  par- 
ticular truth  can  be  ieen  by  a  rnind,  at  enmity  againft  any 
part  of  the  whole  fyitem  :  The  nature  of  every  particular 
divine  truth  being  the  fame,  exactly  the  fame,  as  the  na- 
ture of  the  whole.  And  for  this  reafor,  it  is  as  eafy  to  dif- 
cem  the  beauty  cf  one  particular  truth,  of  which  the  mind 
has  a  clear  conception,  as  of  anotoer  ;  one  being,  when 
rightly  understood,  no  more  contrary  to  a  carnal  heart  than 
another.  For  intranet-,  the  true  beauty  of  divine  Goodnefs 
rightly  underilood.  is  as  remote  from  the  fight  of  a  wicked 
man,  as  the  true  beauty  of  vindictive  juiiice.  And  therea- 
fon  it  feems  otherwife  to  many  wicked  men,  is  becaufe  their 
notion  of  God's  goodaefs,  and  of  God's  juftice,  are  not  ac- 
cording to  truth,  lor  in  God  thefe  two  perfections  are 
perfectly  harmonious.  God's  feverity  againft  fin,  harmo- 
nizes with  his  goodnefs  ;  and  his  goodnefs  harmonizes  with 
his  feverity  againft  fin.  For  God's  nature  is  in  perfect  har- 
mony with,  itfelf.  But  wicked  men  are  very  apt  to  vie»v  the 
matter  in  a  different  light  ;  and  fo  while  they  hate  one  per- 
fection, they  imagine  they  love  another.  Or,  to  allude  to 
the  Manic  bean  fcheme,  while  they  hate  the  God  of  the  Old 
Teftament,  they  love  the  God  of  the  Ne"w  j  or,  toexprefs 
the  fame  thing  in  modern  language,  while  they  hate  God 
out  of  Chrift,  they  love  God  in  Chrift.  But  all  this  is  whol- 
ly owing  to  their  rr.ifh.kiug  the  true  nature  of  things.  He 
who  really  loves  any  one  of  the  divine  perfections,  on  the 
account  of  its  real  lovelmefs,  cannot  fail  to  love  them  all, 
and  he  who  is  biind  to  the  beauty  cf  one,  is  equally  blind 
to  the  beauty  of  all.  For,  in  ftrict  truth,  all  the  moral  per- 
fections of  God  are  really  but  one,  as  was  before  obferved, 
although  differently  denominated,  from  their  different  ex- 


SEC.   XII.]  DIVINE   ILLUMINATION.  191 

ercifes  toward  various  objects.  1  Joh.  i.  5.  God  is  Light, 
and  in  him  is  no  darkuefs  at  all.  Pei  fcii  in  beauty,  without 
a  blemifti.  Deut.  xxxii.  4. — Ifai.  vi.  3.  Moreover,  let  it  be 
obierved  and  carefully  attended  to,  that, 

All  divine  truths  in  general,  and  without  any  one  ex- 
ception, are  fuited  to  beget  and  excite  holy  affections  in 
divinely  enlightened  fouls.  There  is  not  one  truth  in  the 
whole  Scripture  fcheme,  but  what  is  a  dofirine  according  to 
Godlinefs.  1  Tim.  vi.  3.  And  all  jointly  unite  their  influ- 
ence to  form  the  character  of  the  godly  man.  Rom.  vi. 
17.  Ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart,  that  form  ff  decirine  Hubicb 
nvas  delivered  you.  Is  God  reprefented  in  Scripture,  as  the 
Creator  and  Lord  of  all  things  ?  O  come  let  us  moorfaip  ar.d 
bovo  doven  ;  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our  Maker,  is  the  ef- 
fect. Pfal,  xcv.  6.  Is  God  reprefeiued  as  the  Governor 
of  the  World,  and  his  Government,  as  bcirg,  like  himfeif, 
absolutely  perfedt  ;  Tbe  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  Earth  rejoice  ; 
let  the  multitude  of  the  ljles  be  glad  thereof,  is  the  effect. 
Pfal.  xcvii.  I.  Is  God  reprefented  as  the  fupreme  good  ? 
Whom  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee,  and  there  is  none  en  Earth 
I  dejire  befedes  thee,  is  the  effect,  Pfal.  lxxiii.  25.  Is  God's 
law  reprefented  as  holy,  jull  and  good,  a  perfect  law  ?  The 
lavj  of  the  Lord  is  perfccl,  converting  the  foul :  O  hovu  love  I 
thy  law  !  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day,  is  the  effeft,  Pfal. 
xix.  8.  and  cxix.  97.  And  doth  the  divine  law  threaten 
eternal  damnation  for  the  lea  ft  defect?  And  is  it  reprefent- 
ed as  glorious  in  this  view  ?  Gal.  iii.  ic. —  2  Cor.  iii.  7,  9. 
Thou  art  right  ecus  nuben  thou  fpcakeft ,  and  clear  vuhen  thou 
judgefi  ;  our  mouth  is  fopped  and  vje  f  and  guilty  before  God ; 
and  L  through  the  lavu  am  dead  to  the  lan.v,  that  I  might  live 
to  God ;  is  the  effect,  Rom.  iii. 4.  19. — Gal.  ii.  19.  is  there 
no  other  name  but  Chrift's  given  under  Heaven  whereby 
men  can  be  faved  ?  To  rejoice  in  Chrijl  fcfus,  and  have  nt 
confidence  in  tbe  flefh,  is  the  effect,  Phil.  iii.  3.  Is  it  faid, 
be  ye  perfect  as  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is  perfect  ? 
Ti-e  effect  is,  1  count  not  myfelf  to  have  apprehended  ;  but 
this  one  thing  I  do.  forgetting  thofe  things  which  are  behind, 
and  reaching  forth  toward  thofe  rhi;-gs  nvhicb  are  before,  I 
prej's  toward  lie  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Cbrift  Jefus.  Phil.  iii.  13,  14.  The  fame  might  be  faid 
of  every  divine  truth  in  the  whole  Scripture  fyllem  ;  for 
they  are  all  of  them  doe! fines  according  to  godlintfs.m.  .  . 
And  therefore,  R    2 


I92  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII 

We  may  eafily  and  with  the  greateft  certainty  anfwer 
this  queition.  "  Are  men  regenerated  by  the  law,  or  by 
the  Gofpel  : — If  by  regenerated  is  meant  enabled  to  jee  the 
holy  beauty  of  divine  truths,  we  are  regenerated  neither  bv 
the  law,  nor  by  the  Gofpel,  or  by  any  external  means  or 
instructions  whatfoever;  but  by  the  immediate  influences  of 
the  huly  Spirit.  Mat.  xi.  25.  Chap.xvii.  17  — joh.  vi.  45. 
2  Cor.  iv.  6. — If  by  regenerated  is  meant  /.-..  u  be- 

egotten  and  excited  in  the  hearty  in  thio  fenfe  we  are  re- 
generated by  the  law,  and  regenerated  by  the  Gofpel,  and 
;d  by  every  divine  truth  in  general.     Agreeable 
to  that  of  our  blelTed  Saviour,   (Joh.  xvii.)    Sanctify  thsm 
h  thy  truth  t   thy  word  is  truth.     For  the  divine  law  is 
s  word,  as  much  as  the  Gofpel.     Every  divine  truth 
is  the  word  of  God.    To  lay,  that  there  are  fome  particular 
divine  truths,  which  although  known,   do  not   beget  and 
excite  in  us  holy  affections  anfwerable  to  their  nature  j  is  to 
fay,    that  there  are  fome  divine   truths   which  we  do   not 
,  which  is  to  fay,  that  we  are  hypocrites. 

Ohjec.   But  does   net   St.  Paul  fay,    /  ha-ve   begotten  yen 
through  the  Gofpel  ? 

rue. — And  does  not  David  fay,  The  laiv  of 
the  Lord  is  perfetl  converting  the  foul  P  Only  urderfland  thc'.e 
texts  in  a  confiicency  with  each  other,  and  you  may  he  a 
lent  Chriitian.  Eut  if  the  character  of  God,  as  exhi- 
bited in  the  law,  appears  odious  to  you,  2nd  excites  hatred 
and  heart-riilngs  ;  while  the  character  of  God,  which  you 
imagine  to  be  exhibited  in  the  Gofpel,  appears  lovely,  and 
excites  love  and  joy; — you  arc  not  a  ChrilHan — you  are  a 
Manichean — you  hate  the  God  of  the  Old  Tefcament,  ard 
love  the  God  of  the  New.  And  {o  you  have  two  Gods, 
of  characters  effentially  different.  But  St.  Paul's  Gofpel 
was  built  on  this,  as  a  fundamental  maxim,  that  God's  cha- 
racter, as  exhibited  in  the  law,  was  perfect  in  beauty,  with- 
out a  blemifh.  For,  to  do  honour  to  this  character,  accor- 
ding to  St.  Paul,  the  Son  of  God  became  incarnate  and 
died  on  the  crofs,  even  to  declare  his  Father's  rigkteoufnefs, 
that  he  might  be  juft,  and  yet  the  Jujlijier  of  the  believer.  St. 
Paul's  Gofpel  comprifed  the  whole  iyftem  of  divine  truths, 
in  their  proper  arrangement,  in  perfect  harmony.  To  be 
begotten  by  his  Gofpel,  is  to  have  holy  affections  anfwerable 
to  that  whole  fyftem  excited  in  us;  and  fo,  to  become  not 
Manicheans,  but  confident  Chriltians :  obeying  from  the  heart 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE   ILLUMINATION.  193 

that  form  of  diclrine  which  he  delivered — and  even  reafon 

teacnes,  that  it  mult  be  fo. For, 

If  divinely  enlightened  fouls  have  a  relifh  for  holy  beauty, 
for  fucii  beauty  as  there  is  in  God's  real  character ;  then 
every  divine  truth,  as  it  exhibits  his  real  character,  will, 
if  it  comes  into  our  view,  appear  beautiful  ;  and  will  accor- 
dingly beget  and  excite  holy  affections  anfvverable  to  its 
nature.  .But  the  divine  law  gives  a  very  bright  exhibition 
of  God's  real  character,  in  irs  precepts,  promifes  and  threa- 
tenings,  as  they  are  holy,  ju;t  and  good,  a  tranfeript  of  the 
holinefs,  julHceand  goodneisof  the  divine  Nature,  the  very 
image  of  his  heart.  The  divine  law  therefore  is  luited  in 
its  own  nature  to  excite  holy  affeclions,  in  the  divinely  en- 
lightened foul,  as  well  as  the  crofs  of  Chrift.  And  in  fac>. 
it  does  fo,  from  the  very  moment  his  eyes  begin  to  be  o- 
pened  at  converfion,  until  they  are  perfectly  opened  in 
Heaven.  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  pcrfeSt,  con-oenirg  the  foul  : 
the  Jlatutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart.  The 
"Judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether,  more 
to  be  defred  H^igold,  yea  than  much  fine  gold :  fleeter  alfo 
than  honey,  andthe  honey-ccmb,  Pfal.  xix.  7,  10. 

Objec.  "  But  what  occanon  was  there  then  for  the  death 
of  Chrift?" 

Anfw.  1.  Abfolutely  none  at  all,  under  a  notion  the  law 
was  too  ievere,  a  bad,  an  unamiable  law,  and  we  the  abuf- 
ed  injured  party,  that  by  his  death  he  might  purchafe  for 
us  the  relief  which  was  our  due,  and  fo  pacify  our  embit- 
tered angry  minds,  which  had  been  exafperated  againit  the 
Deity,  the  Lawgiver,  and  bring  us  to  have  a  good  thought 
of  God,  as  being  "  altogether  made  up  of  love  to  us  ;" 
and  in  this  view  to  be  reconciled  to  him,  againrt  whom, 
viewed  as  exhibited  in  Ins  holy  law,  "  we  are  full  of  ha- 
tred and  heart-riiings,  in  fpite  of  our  hearts." — To  believe 
the  Son  of  God  died  for  this  purpofe,  to  view  his  death  in 
this  light,  and  to  grow  devout  in  fuch  a  view,  is  as  bad  as 
right  down  Infidelity.  And  fuch  a  religion,  refulting  from 
thefe  blafphemous  views,  mu  \  be  infinitely  provoking  to 
the  Deity.  No  American  Pagan,  no  African  Hottentot, 
ever  efpoufed  a  fcheme  of  religion,  more  abfurd  in  itfeif, 
or  more  impious  in  its  nature. — "  What  occafion  was  there 
then  for  the  death  of  Chrift  r" 

2.  "  What  occafion?"  A  furprizingly  ftupid  queflion  ! 
R     3 


194  THE  EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

V\  hen  as,  the  beauty  of  the  divine  law,  and  the  tranfcendent 
beauty  and  glory  of  the  divine  Character  as  exhibited  in 
the  law,  was  the  occaiion,  the  great  occaiion,  the  only  oc- 
casion, of  the  death  of  an  incarnate  God,  in  the  room  of  a 
God-defpifing,  God-hating  World,  that  thereby  he  might 
\  indicate  the  divine  Character,  ceciare  it  to  be  right,  and 
give  a  public  proof,  the  greateir.  which  couid  have  been 
given,  that  the  law  was  holy,  juit  and  gcou,  to  the  end, 
that  confiiient  with  the  honour  of  his  Chan.clcr  and  Go- 
vernment, and  to  the  glory  of  his  grace,  God  might  have 
mercy  on  whom  he  v.  ill  have  mercy,  open  the  eye;;  of  the 
Klevit,  and  bring  them  to  repent  and  return  to  God  through 
jefus  Chrift,  and  in  his  name,  and  fimply  on  his  ace 
pardon  and  fave  them  with  an  everlafting  falvation.  And 
es,  this  very  view  of  the  divine  law,  is  the  very  thing 
which  leads  the  enlightened  foul  to  fee  its  need  of  Chrift's 
atonement  :  for,  no  man  can  fee  his  nesd  of  the  atonement 
of  Chrift  to  do  honcur  to  the  divine  law,  unlefs  he  fees  that 
which  renders  it  needful  .  but  the  excellency  and  honour- 
ablenefs  cf  the  divine  law,  which  we  had  dinhonoureu,  was 
the  only  thing,  which  rendered  the  atonement  of  Chiift 
needful,  in  oraer  to  cur  falvation.  If  the  law  had  not  been 
a  glorious  law,  and  worthy  of  this  honour,  there  had  been 
no  need,  no  occaiion  for  the  death  of  Chrift  in  order  to  our 
falvation,  as  has  been  before  proved. But  to  return, 

All  holy  affections,  I  fay,  are  begotten  and  excited  by 
the  truth.  On  the  other  hand,  in  all  falfe  fchemes  of  re- 
Iigion,  their  love  and  joy,  and  all  their  devout  affections, 
in  which  a  carnal  heart  is  fo  much  pleafea,  are  begotten 
and  excited  by  a  lie  ;  a  lie  invented  to  pieafe  a  carnal  heart. 
I  fay,  in  all  falfe  fchemes  of  religion  And  this  is  the 
i  that  fajife  fchemes  of  religicn  are  adhered  to  by  de- 
luded Sinners  with  Inch  an  invincible  ohitinacy.  They 
fuit  their  carnal  hearts  :  but  they  hate  the  truth.  And 
therefore  in  the  Apoftolic age,  while  the  Aroftles  were  yet 
alive,  with  all  their  infpiration,  their  miracles,  their  zeal, 
their  tears,  they  cou'd  not  help  the  matter;  but  in  fpight 
of  all  they  could  do,  it  in  fad  was,  as  St.  Paul  told  Timothy, 
Evil  men  and fedveers,  Jhall  *wax  ivor/e  and  nuorj'e,  deceiving 
and  ijeing  deceived,  z  Tim.  iii.  13. 

Yea,  men  i.1  the  nature  of  manl  ind,  and  fuch  the  nature 
of  our  holy  religion,  that  nothing  can  be  dene  to  purpofe  in 
propagating  true  Chriftifinity,  without  divine   influences 


SEC.  XII.]  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION.  195 

from  above.  The  experiment  has  been  made,  and  tho- 
roughly made. — Our  bieffed  Saviour  preached  at  Corazin, 
Bethfaida,  and  Capernaum,  and  fpake  as  never  man  fp:  ke, 
and  wrought  many  miracles  befoie  their  eyes;  but  not  fo 
much  as  one  or  his  hearers  were  brought  [o  repentance  by 
ail  his  preaching  and  miracles,  thoie  only  excepted,  to 
whom  God  by  hi5  ipnit  internally  revealed  the  truth  in  its 
glory.  Yea,  our  Saviour  had  no  expectation  to  make  con- 
verts by  the  ivjice  of  preaching  and  miracles:  He  even  laid 
it  down  for  a  maxim,  that  no  man  can  come  to  the  Son  but 
whom  the  Father  draws.  Without  divine  ;e  icbing  he  k 
that  all  external  initruccion  would  he  ineffectual. — I 
always  laid  ail  ihe  blame  at  the  Sinnei  's  door  .  20, 

25. — joh.  vi.  44.  chap.  viii.  42,  47.  chap.  xv.  72 — Mat. 
xxii.  1,7. 

So  likewife,  the  Apoftle  Paul,  of  mere  men  the  belt, 
preacher  .hat  ever  lived,  let  him  preach  in  the  demcnjlr  alien 
cf  the  fpirit  eitid p&iwr%  let  him  travail  in  birth  lor  his  hea- 
rers, and  reajon  out  of  the  Scriptures ,  and  add  miracles  to 
his  arguments^  it  was  all  the  fame  ;  the  Jews  were  provoked, 
and  tne  gentiles  laughed  ;  Chrirl  crucified  was  a  Humbling 
block  to  the  one,  and  foolifhnefs  to  the  other.  Nor  did 
he  ever  make  one  fin  cere  convert  to  Chriftianity  in  hi.-  life-, 
mercy  by  tne  force  of  external  means.  Nay,  after  long 
experience,  lie  publickly  declared  to  the  world,  that  the 
natural  man  recei'ceth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  cf  God,  for 
they  are  foolijhiiefs  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  tocm,  be- 
caufe  they  are  fpirit ually  dijeemed. — Mean  while,  the  falfe 
teachers,  who  hated  St.  Paul,  could  make  converts  thick 
and  faft,  fincere  converts  to  their  falfe  fchemes,  among 
gracelefs  profeffors,  whofe  hearts;  like  tinder,  flood  ready 
to  catch  the  falfe  fire,  which  they  communicated. — A  carnal 
heart  may  love  a  falfe  Gofpel.  Among  the  great  variety 
of  falfe  fchemes,  perhaps  there  is  no  carnal  heart  but  may 
find  fome  one  to  his  mind.  1^  not,  he  can  invent  one  of 
his  own  exactly  to  fuit  his  ftate.  But  no  unregenerate  man 
will  love  the  truth.     Nei  aments,  nor  miracles  will 

bring  him  to  it. 

4.  What  has  been  faid,  may  lead  us  to  f?e,  what  St. 
Paul  means  by  the  calling,  the  holy  calling,  tne  heavenly 
celling,  the  high  culling  cf  God  in  Chrif  Jefus,  which  he 
fpeaks  of  as  common  to  all  true  Saints,  and  peculiar  to  them 
alone,  ( 1  Cor.  i.  26. — 2  Tim.  i.  9. — Heb.  iii.  1. — Phil.  iii. 


I96  THE   EFFECTS  OF  [SEC.  XII. 

14)  fpeaking  cf  this  calling  in  Rom.  viii.  28,  he  fayv,  IVe 
know  thai  all  ti  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 

God,  to  them  who  are  CALLED  according  to  his  purpofe.  And 
again,  \er.  30.    i  Hnate,  them  be  alfo  cal- 

led; ....  them  he  alfo  jujlified ;  and  whom 

led.   And  in  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24. 
i  crucified  unto  the  jews  a  fumbling  block, 
e  Greeks  foolijhnefs  ;  but  to  them  t bat  are  called, 
Chriji  of  God,  and  the  wifdo)n  cf  God.    Compared 

with  ver.  18.  The  preaching  of  the  Crofs  is  to  them  that  pe- 
rish foolijhnefs  ;  but  unto  us  who  are  saved,  //  is  the  power 
of  God.  Compared  with  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  cf  God ;  for  tbey 
are foolifhnefs  unto  him:  neither  can  be  know  them,  becaufe 
ibey  are fpiritually  difcerned.  ver.  15.  But  be  that  is  spiri- 
tv  al  judgeth  all  things.  Compared  with  Rom.  viii.  9.  If 
any  man  have  not  toe  spirit  of  Chrifl,  be  is  none  of  bis. — 
Compared  alfo  with  2  Cor.  iv.  3.  If  our  Gofpel  is  hid,  it 
is  bid  to  them  that  art  lost,  (ver  4.)  in  whom  the  God  cf 
this  World  hath  blinded  tee  minds  cf  them  that  believe  not, 
leaf  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  Cbrifl ,  who  is  the  image 
of  God,  fhould jbine  unto  tiem,  ver.  6.  For  be  who  commanded 
tbe  light  to  fhine  out  of  darknefs,  hath  fhined  in  our  hearts,  to 
give  tbe  light  of  the  knowledge  of  t'tpe  glory  cf  God  in  the  face 
of  J 'efts  Chrifl.  Compared  wiih  1  TheiV  i.  5.  ForourGcfpel 
came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but  alfo  in  power ,  and  in  tbe 
Holy  Gboji,  and  in  much  afiju ranee.  Chap.  ii.  13.  When  ye 
revived  the  word  of  God  which  ye  beard  of  us,  ye  received  it 
not  as  the  word  of  Man,  but  (as  it  is  in  truth  J  tbe  l>Vord  of 
Gcd,  wbici  11)'  worketb  afo  in  you  that  believe.  Com- 

pared  vviwii  iii.  23.  He  that  received  feed  into  good 

ground,  is  he  thai  hearetb  the  word  and  understandeth 
ii,  which  alfo  hearetb  fruit.  Explained  by  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 
We  all  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glafs  tie  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  tbe  fame  image. 

When  the  Apoftles  went  forth,  according  to  their  Mas- 
ter's commiiTion,  to  preach  the  Gofp  1  to  every  creature, 
they  firit  dtcbred,  explained,  and  proved  the  great  truths 
they  had  to  deliver,  commending  themfelves  to  every  man's 
confidence  in  the  fight  cf  God :  Then  rhey  callld  upon 
their  hearers,  to  recent  and  believe  the  Gofpel,  to  repent  and 
be  baptifed  in  tie  name  of  J  ejus  to  repent  and  he  converted, 
to  believe  in  tbe  Lord  jf  ejus  Chrifl,  to  repent  and  turn  to  God, 


SEC  XII. J  DIVINE  ILLUMINATION  IQ7 

faying,  Ail  things  are  ready,  come  unto  the  marriage  (i)  — 
Many  who  heard  thefe  things,  who  had  this  external  ca  l.l, 
made  light  of  it,  and  went  their  ways,  one  to  his  farm, 
another  to  his  merchandize,  others  mocked,  and  others  were 
enraged.  Thus  many  were  called  who  did  no:  come; 
For  their  eyes  werr  blind  that  they  could  not  fee,  and  their 
ears  were  heavy  that  they  could  not  hear.  But  as  many 
as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed.  The  Elect  ob- 
tained, and  the  reft  were  blinded.  For,  «u  d pre- 
definate  them  he  alfo  called.  And  thefe  all  with  open 
face  beholding  as  in  a  gi.  is  the  .  iiic  Lord  were 
changed  into  the  fame  image,  from  glory  to  glory. 

Whom  be  did '  prede/iinate,  them  alfo  be  called. — He,  that 
\z  God.  God  himfelf  called  them.  As  it  is  written,  they 
fall  be  ali  taught  of  (rod.  God  himfelf  revealed tbefe  things 
to  them,  ivjat.  xi.  25.  Opened  the  whole  Gofpel  way  of 
life  in  its  divine  glory  to  their  fools  j  and  io  gave  them  to 
fee,  that  it  was  in  truth,  the  Word  of  God.  In  which  view 
the  call  of  the  Gofpel  to  repent  and  be  converted,  to  turn 
to  God  tnrough  Jeius  Chrift,  could  not  fail  to  be 
They  beheld  the  Gofpel  in  its  glory,  they  believed  it  to  be 
true,  every  anfwerableafFedlion  was  begotten  in  their  hearts, 

( 1 )   Mr.  Sandeman  imagining  thai  there  is  forgivenefs  with 
God  Through  the  atonement  for  1  -rs,  while  fitch, 

would  not  have  Sinners  called  upon  in  the  A  p. folic  language, 
Repent  and  he  converted,  that  your  fins  ma)  he  clotted  out,  or  in 
the  language  of  our  Saviour,  Come  for  all  things  are  ready. 
R  ither  he  would  have  Preachers  only  endeavour  to  hold  forth 
evidence  to  convince  Sinners ,  that  there  is  for  given  efs  with  God 

for  impenitent  Sinners,  while  fucb.  A  pcjf.ve  belief  of  which, 
he  fays ,  begets  hope  that  I  am  pardoned.  Ai>J  this  hope  begets  love 
to  this  doctrine  of  Forgivenefs,  which  thus  relieves  me  ;  in  which 
he  fays  all  godlinefs  caffs.  And  tl  us.  as  no  act,  exercife,  or 
exertion  of  the  human  mind  is  requifte  in  order  to  pardon  on  his 

fche?ne,  fo  the  Sinner  is  to  be  called  to  no  ad,  exercife,  or  exer- 
tion wbatfoever.  And  therefore  be  entirely  excludes  the  Call 
of  the  Gofpel.  And  as  the  excerm.1  Cr.ll  of  tie  Gofpel  is  left 
out  of  his  j'cheme,  jo  alfo  is  the  internal  Call.  And  a  pa/Jive 
belief  that  there  is  forgiven  efs  wit .  God  for  impenitent  Si 
and  a  hope  that  I  am  forgiven,  f  that  effec- 

tual calling  which  was  effentia  to  the  Apojlolic fchtme.  See 
his  Letters  on  Theron,  and  to  Mr,  P:ke. 


I98  THE  EFFECTS  OF,  &C.  [SEC.   XIi. 

they  exercifed  Repentance  toward  God,  and  Faith  toward 
our  Lord  jefusChrift,  they  loved  the  Gofpel,  they  loved  the 
brethren,  ihey  loved  all  mankind,  they  were  willing  to  p«.rt 
with  all  things,  and  even  joyfully  to  lay  down  their  lives 
for  the  tru.h.  And  whom  he  called,  them  he  alio  juftified  ; 
and  whom  he  jollified,  them  he  alio  glorified.  For  nothing 
C(  uld  ever  feparate  tncm  from  the  iove  of  God,  neither 
tribulation,  nor  diiirefs,  nor  perfecution,  nor  famine,  nor 
nakednefs,  nor  peril,  nor  fword  :  Nay,  in  all  thefe  things 
they  were  more  than  conquerors,  through  him  who  loved 
them.  For  the  fame  mind  was  in  them  that  was  in  Chrilt 
Jefus,  and  which  carried  him  through  all  the  labours  of  his 
life,  and  fufferings  of  his  death.  For  the  Spirit  of  Chrift 
dwelt  in  them,  and  they  were  £ble  to  do  all  things,  through 
Chriit  ftrengthening  them. — And  thus,  this  was  the  true 
nature  of  Chriit's  Holy  Religion  in  ancient  times,  in  the 
Apofiolic  age. 

And  thus  we  have  confidered  the  Nature  and  Glory  of 
the  Gofpel,  the  Natuie  and  Confequences  of  Spiritual 
Blindnefs,  and  the  Nature  and  Effects  of  Divine  Illumina- 
tion, as  was  propofed  :  And  nothing  now  remains,  but  in 
as  few  words  as  pofiible,  to  pointout  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples on  which  all  the  R.eafcnings  in  this  Erfey  are  built, 
and  tofiicu  that  we  muft  come  into  this  fyftem  of  fer.timents, 
or  turn  Infidels,  or  with  Hereticks  of  old,   be  incoraiiiert, 

and  (o  felf  condemned And  this  fhall  be  attempted  in 

the  Conclufion. 


THE    CONCLUSION. 

There  is  no  confistent  Medium  between  ancient  Jpostolk 
Christianity^   and  Infidelity. 

IF  the  judicious,  candid  Reaoer  will  now  flop,  lock  back, 
and  review,  from  beginning  to  end,  the  foregoing 
EfTay,  he  will  find  the  whole  fyftem  of  fentim^nts  contained 
in  it,  all  naturally  founded  in,   and  refulting  from,  thefe 

THREE    PROPOSITIONS. 


THE  CONCLUSION.  I99 

Prop.  I.  The  Great  God,  the  Creator,  Preferver,  Lord 
and  Governor  of  the  World,  is  an  abi  lately  perfect,  an 
iniiniteiy  glorious  and  amiable  Being,  the  fupreme  Good, 
infinitely  worthy  of  fupreu.e  love  ana  honour,  and  univer- 
fal  obedience  from  his  creature  Man. 

Prop.  II.  The  divine  law,  which  requires  this  of  us,  en 
pain  of  eternal  death,  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  glorious 
law  ;  worthy  to  be  magnified  and  kept  in  honour  in  God's 
Government. 

Prop.  III.  The  Dcfign  of  the  Mediatorial  Office  and 
Work  of  the  Son  of  God  incarnate,  was  to  do  honour  10 
the  divine  Law,  and  thereby  operi  a  way,  in  which,  God 
might  call,  and  Sinners  might  come  to  him,  and  he  receiv- 
ed to  favour,  and  entitled  to  eternal  life,  confident  with 
the  honour  of  the  divine  Government. 

If  thefe  three  Propofi lions  are  true,  then  that  whole 
fcheme  of  fentiments,  which  neceflTarily  rcfults  from  them, 
muil  be  equally  t.ue.  To  grant  the  Proportions,  an<;  to 
deny  their  necefTary  confequences,  is  to  be  inconfiftent. — 
And  he  who  denies  the  firji  Proportion,  that  is,  the  exig- 
ence of  an  abfolutely  perfect  being,  is  an  Atheift.  And  to 
deny  the  fecond  or  the  third,  is  to  give  up  the  Bible  «nd  be 
an  lnridel. — Again,  he  who  owns  the  frit  muil  grant  the 
fecond,  or  be  inconfiftent.  For,  if  Godis  fucn  a  Being,  as 
the  firft  a  Herts,  the  divine  Law  mult  be  what  the  fecond 
affirms.  And  if  the  firft  and  fecond  are  true,  no  man  can 
doi.bt  of  the  third. 

But  to  reduce  all  to  one  point,  and  to  be  a  little  more 
particular  : — Chrijl  was  made  a  curfe,  to  redeem  us  from  the 
curfe  of  the  taw  j  even  from  the  curfe  of  that  law  which 
curies  every  one  that  continuity  not  in  all  things.  To  deny 
that  this  law,  from  the  curfe  of  which  C:;;ili  redeems  us, 
requires  perfect  obedience,  is  expref-ly  to  contradict  the 
Wo  d  of  G  >d,  which  declares  that  it  lequires  us  to  conti- 
nue in  ail  things.  To  deny  that  this  law  cornprifes  eternal 
ruin  in  its  curfe,  is  again  exprefsly  to  contradict  the  Word 
cf  God,  which  declares,  that  Chrift  delivers  his  people 
from  the  wrath  to  come ;  and  over  and  ever  again  declares, 
that  the  :.  me  will  be  everlafing ,  where  the  worm 

r  die,  and  the  f  re  never  be  quenched  It  thercfore 
appears  to  be  a  fact,  as  certain,  as  that  the  New  Tt  (lament 
is  true,  that  the  §on  of  God  incarnate,  died  on  the  crofs, 


200  THE  CONCLUSION. 

to  bear  the  curfeof  that  la^v.  which  required  perfed  obedi- 
ence of  us,  on  pain  of  eternal  mifery Now, 

That  the  Son  of  God,  b>  his  Father's  apointment,  mould 
leave  trie  world  of  L;iory,  become  incarnate,  appear  and 
Hand  and  room,  to  bear  the  carte  which  was  by 

law  due  to  us,  is  a  fact,  the  molt  wonderful  and  aiconiihing 
that  e  .;,  human  ears.      And  pray,   what  end  had 

God  the  Father,  or  God  t  ie  Son,  in  this  infinitely  furpriiing 
ir  r 

To  fay,  that  God  the  Father  gave  his  only  begotten 
and  well  beloved  Son  to  die,  abfolutely,  for  no  end  at  all, 
when  Sinners  might  have  been  faved  in  every  refpect  as 
well  without  ;  i3  to  lay,  that  Cbrifi  crucified.,  is  not  the  nx>if- 
dom  of  God:  \  ad  the  doftrine  of  the  Crofs  rnuft  be  owned 
to  be,  what  its  ancient  adverfaries  alarmed,  foolijhnej's . — 
Which  is  to  fay.   it  is  not  from  God. 

If  the  Son  of  God  incarnate,  was  made  a  curfe  to  redeem 
us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  for  fome  end — It  mull  have 
been  either — (if!)  Becaufe  the  law  was  bad,  was  toofevere; 
and  fo  he  dud  to  deliver  us  from  the  too  great  rigour  and 
feverity  cf  the  law,  and  to  put  us  under  a  more  equitable 
constitution.  Or,  (2d)  he  died  becaufe  the  law  was  good, 
to  do  it  honour,  to  declare  God's  righteoufnefs,  that  he 
might  be  juft,  and  yet  the  Juiti.ier  of  the  believer. — A 
third  end,  diftincl  from  theie  two,  cannot  be  mentioned. 

If  the  Son  of  God  left  his  Father's  bofom,  became  incar- 
nate, and  died  on  the  crofs,  becaufe  the  law  was  bad,  was 
toofevere,  &c.  then  it  will  follow,  (lit)  That  in  fa&,  the 
law  was  bad,  and  God  the  Father  knew  it,  and  God  the 
Son  knew  it.  (2d)  it  had  therefore  been  incontinent  with 
every  perfection  of  the  divine  Nature,  to  nave  held  man- 
kind bound  by  this  law,  if  Chriil  had  never  died.  And 
therefore,  (3d)  there  was  evidently  no  need  of  Ml  death 
in  the  cafe  ;  unlefs  we  will  fay,  (Heaven  forbid  the  blaf- 
phemy)  that  God  the  Father  was  fuch  a  tyrant,  that  he 
could  not  do  us  juftice,  uniefs  moved  thereto  by  the  blood  of 
his  own  Son. — Which  to  fay,  is  worfe  than  down-right 
Infidelity. 

If  the  Son  of  God  left  his  Father's  bofom,  became  in- 
carnate, and  died  on  the  crofs,  becaufe  the  law  was  good, 
to  no  it  honour,  &c.  then  alfo  it  will  follow,  (id)  That 
the  law  was  in  fact  good,  and  worthy  of  all  this  honour  ; 
and  God  the  Father  knew  it,  and  God  the  Son  knew  it. — 


TU2  CONCLUSION*-.  2G1 

Vea,  and  every  child  of  Adam  knows  it,  whofe  eyes  are 
Opened  ic  Tee  it,  as  it  is.  (2d)  And  therefore  all  cur 
ill  thoughts  of  the  divine  l<;w  are  groundlcis,  yea  infi- 
nitely criminal.  '1  'iiey  a.e  of  the  nature  of  blafphemy 
againil  God  the  Father  and  God  the  Sun.  And  hs  who 
doc,  noc  look  v.po'A  ins  l.iw,  as  glorious,  fo  infinitely  ho- 
noured by  the  father  and  me  Son,  may  juflly  be  reputed 
ftn  enemy  to  tjie  Father  and  tjie  bon  :  And  ia  a  peculiar 
manner,  an  enemy  to  the  Crois  of  Chriit.  (3d)  The  di- 
vine glory  of  the  atonement  primarily  conu&i  in  its  doing- 
i  ,,e  honour  to  this  glorious  law,  thereby  aflerting  the 
fights  of  the  Godhead,  and  condemning  the  iin  <jf  an  appe- 
late World.  (4th)  He  therefore  who  is  blind  to  the  beauty 
Of  the  divineNfttupe,  the  excellency  of  the  divine  Law,  and 
the  great  evil  of  bin,  mult  ofneceffity  be  blind  to  the  glory 
of  the  atonement,  (jth)  Yea,  he  who  dees  net  view  the 
divine  law  as  glorious,  worthy  to  be  magnified  and  made 
honourable,  can  ieo  no  reafon  why  it  was  honoured  on  the 
Crofs  of  Chrift.     A\  fee  no  wifdom,  nor  any  other 

divine  perfection,  in  the  de  ith  k)C  an  incarnate  God.  (6th) 
Until  the  1   Sections  exhibited  to  view  en  the  crofs 

are  feen,  and  ieen  in  their  glory,  the  Gofpel  will  not  be 
believed  with  all  the  neart,  nor  will  thofe  holy  affections 
which  conititute  the  Ciiriilian  character,  be  produced  by  if. 
And  if  our  Go/pel  is  hi  J,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  left,  (jth) 
It  muft  be  entirely  owing  to  a  fupernaturai,  divine  influ- 
ence, rtiut  a  mind  alienated  from,  and  at  enmity  against 
God's  Character  and  Law,  becomes  1'truck  with  the  beauty 
and  charmed  with  the  glory  of.each,  as  honoured  with  the 
higheft  honours  en  the  Crofs  of  Chritt.  And  therefore, 
Except  a  ma:i  he  bum  again,  he cai.not  fee  the kingdom'of  God. 
Thefe,  together  with  that  whole  fyilem  of fentiments  in 
clole  connection  with  thefe,  continued  in  the  preceding 
Eifay,  will  follow,  if  Chrift  died  becaafe  the  law  was  geed, 
to  do  it  honour.     To  grant  that  Chriit  died  for  this  end, 

and  to  deny  the  conlequences,   is  to  be  inconfiilent, To 

deny  that  Shrift  died  for  this  end,  inevitably  leads  to  Infi- 
delity. To  (ay,  that  Chrift  did  not  die  becaufe  the  law 
was  good,  to  do  it  honour,  is  to  fay,  there  was  no  good 
reafon  for  his  death.  To  fay,  he  died  becaufe  the  law  was 
bad,  to  get  it  repealed,  is  to  offer  a  reafon  worfe  than  none. 
to  fay  either,  is  to  fay,  that  Chriftianity  is  not  from 
God.  S 


20i  THfi  CONCLUSION. 

It  rcm.-uns  therefore  that  there  i.s  no  confident  medium 
between  the  ancient  A'poftolic  Chriftianky,  and  down-right 
Infidelir)  And  accordingly; 

Ji  ilnct  ttuth,  in  the  fight  of  God,  who  fearcheth  the 
keart,  there  are  but  two  forts  of  men  in  Chriitendom  ;  and 
st  the  day  of  judgment,  it  will  appear  fo  to  all  the  World. 
Now  we  are  divided  into  a  great  variety  of  feels  and  par- 
ties, but  then  of  fill  thefe  feds  and  parties,  there  will  ap- 
ptarto  be  but  two  forts  of  men,  Believers,  and  Unbelievers. 
.And  then  tint  niofl  remarkable  faying  of  Jefus  Chriil,  will 
take  efFeft,  and  be  fulfilled.  He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tixsd  Jhall  be  fated ;  but  he  that  belwoetb  not>  Jhall  be 
'damned. 

No  man  on  Earth,  or  Angel  in  Heaven,  has  a  right  t« 
vary  cr  alter  the  true  Gofpe!  of  Jefut  Chriit,  to  accommo- 
date it  to  the  notions  of  the  learned,  or  to  the  experiences 
cf  the  unlearned.  Nay,  by  the  Spirit  of  In/piration,  whick 
•is  in  envc>  the  fathe  as  if  God  himfelf  had  fpoken  with  an 
•audible  voice  from  Keaven,  St.  Paul  with  the  utmoft  fo- 
lemnity,  once  and  again,  declared,  as  it  were  to  the  whole 
Chriilian  World  in  a  bo^y,  that  if  any  man  or  Angel  jhall 
rp-reacb  any  other  Gofpel,  let  him  be  accursed  — And  all 
who,  with  St.  Paul"  fincerely  iove  the  Gofpel  cf  Chriil,  as 
•it  is,  iB-tift  therefore  itand  ready  from  the  heart  to  fay — 
£  M  E  N  .■—  —  •  —  Fc  r , 

As  the  Gofpel  is  one  harmonious,  connecled  whole;  fo 
h:  who  alters  it  in  any  fingle  point,  to  be  confluent,  muft 
.'.Iter  the  whole  :  That  is,  mull  give  upthat  whole  fyftem  of 
truths,  and  f,  bftitute  in  its  room,  a  whole  fyftem  of  lies  ;  a 
fyftem  fubWfive  of,  and  dire^'y  contrary  to  the  whole 
Gofpel  of  Chrift.  For  initar.ee,  he  who  denies  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Fai'her,  mall  deny  the  character  and  office  of  the 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghoff.  For  if  the  Father  is  not  in 
If  infinitely  worthy  of  cur  fuprerne  love,  previous  to 
-ration  of  our  being  pardoned,  the  divine  Law, 
which  requires  this,  previous  to  that  corfuieraticn,  was  not 
trooJ.  The  death-of  Chriil  then,  to  doit  honour,  was 
needlefs.  And  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  Holy 
(t  to  brinrr  us  to  view  God  in  this  light,  there  was  no 
[or;  if  there  is  no  amr.blencfs  in  the  divine  Nature 
ious  to  the  confederation  of  his  being  my  reconciled 
friend.  Anji  if  my  want  of  love,  and  all  my  difafte&ian 
to  the  divine  Character  arifes  (imply  from  confiderlng  him 


THE  CONCLUSION.  20^ 

as  roy  enemy,  let  him  but  declare  himfelf  my  fiier.d,  and 
I  (hail  love  him,  with  that  kind  of  love  which  alone  is  his 
due.  For  it  is  natural  to  thofe  who  are  born  of  tie  jiejh  to 
love  a  friend  and  benefactor.  For  Sinners  love  thofe  that 
love  them.  And  if  my  difaffeclion  to  the  Deity  refults  only 
from  his  being  my  enemy  ;  then,  as  the  breach  began  on 
his  fide,  fo  it  belongs  to  him  to  retract  firft.  And  if  he 
loves  me,  1  mall  love  him.  No  mediator  or  fanclirier  is 
needed  in  the  cafe.  So  the  whole  Gofpel  is  overthrown. 
The  Sinner  is  julniied,  God  and  his  law  condemned.  The 
fame  may  be  (kid  of  every  faife  fcheme  of  Rdigion.  He 
who  denies  one  fingle  truth,  let  him  be  confident,  and  he 
muft  deny  the  whole.  And  he  who  believes  one  error,  let 
him  be  confident,  and  he  muft  believe  a  whole  fyftem  cf 
lies.  And  it  was  in  this  view,  that  St.  Paul  pronounced 
the  man  or  Angel  accurfed,  who  mould  preach  another  Gof- 
pel. Becaufe  if  his  other  Gofpel  was  true,  Chnjl  is  dead 
in  -vain,  and  the  whole  of  Chriftianity  is  overthrown.  Gal.. 
ii.  21.  And  as  this  waj  the  cafe,  with  th?  falfc  fcheme, 
which  St.  Paul  then  o^pofed  ;  fo  it  is  equally  true,  as  to 
every  falfc  fcheme,  which  has  been  advanced  fince.  For, 
as  it  is  enmity  to  the  true  Gofpel,  which  is  contrary  to  e- 
very  vicious  bia^  in  the  human  heart,  that  is  the  fourcc  of 
every  falfe  Gofpel,  which  is  adapted  to  juitify  our  corrup- 
tions; ( joh.  iii.  19,  20,  21.)  fo  of  courfe,  every  falfe  Gof- 
pel is  in  its  own  nature  cor.tiary  to,  and  fubveifwe  of  the 
true.  But  he  who  hates  the  true  Gofp.?i  of  Chriil  fo  entirely, 
that  he  would  overthrew  the  whole  of  it,  were  be  able,  as. 
he  is  a  thorough  enemy  to  God  and  to  his  Son  ;  fo  St.  Paul's 
fentence  againii  him,  let  ban  be  accurfed,  is  not  more  feverf 
than  that  of  his  Mailer,  he  that  believetb  not  Jh all  be  damn- 
ed. A  fentence,  which,  when  it  comes  to  be  put  in  execur 
tion  at  the  day  cf  Judgment,  will  meet  with  univerfal  ap- 
probation and  applaule  from  all  holy  Beings  in  the  Uni- 
verfe.  As  this  is  the  moil  important  fubjecl  in  the  World, 
and  as  we  are  all  infinitely  intcreiled  in  it;  fo  it  demands 
the  moil  ferious  conn*  deration,  and  impartial,  and  Ariel  ex- 
amination of  ali  the  Profeffors  of  Chriftianity.  He  there- 
fore that  hath  ears  to  bear,  let  him  hear. 

FINIS. 


